The Crux of The Biscuit: New Ceramic Work by Jonathan Kaplan is on view at Plinth Gallery, Denver
November 3 – December 23, 2023
For our last exhibition of 2023, we are honored to present new ceramic work by Plinth Gallery curator and owner Jonathan Kaplan. Jonathan has maintained an active 55-year career in ceramics, studying first at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and then The Cleveland Institute of Art. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Art degree at Rhode Island School of Design followed by a Master of Fine Art degree, both in ceramics, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; Jonathan makes a variety of ceramic objects and installations that celebrate both form and surface, not bound by any constraint in method or material, nor limited by any strict adherence to utility. He has a deep vocabulary of tool and technique that is not framed by preconception or historical imperative. Major influences upon his work are architecture and geometry.
“All my work is slip-cast using models and molds that I make. I am interested in construction of objects from ceramic parts that then can become assembled into a unified whole ceramic object. I am fascinated by the endless variations as these pieces, whether useable or not. Construction of the tall vases presents many difficulties: connecting the parts to form a solid connection, assuring that the joints do not crack and that the pieces do not warp during drying and firing. The installations are site-specific, usually created to match the size of the wall.”
“I have made a diverse body of work throughout my career, driven to make objects that are both highly designed and impeccably crafted. I look in awe at the symmetries of culture and am humbled by what remains as historical evidence in clay. With an acknowledgement of that deep history of ceramics, I endeavor to make choices in my work that will continue to engage and interest me. I am honored to be a part of this continuum and constantly reinvent my work by challenging myself. My studio practice has evolved over many years, and it is important to always include others with me on this journey.”
Contact
gallery@plinthgallery.com
Plinth Gallery
River North Art District (RiNo)
3520 Brighton Blvd
Denver, CO 80216
United States
Captions
- ROYGB(I)V #2, Slip cast white ware with underglaze, 40” x 40” x 3” projection
- ROYGB(I)V #1, Slip cast earthenware, glaze, 144” x 120” x 7.5” projection
- Tall Vase with Corrugated Side Handles, Slip cast whiteware with glaze, 24”x 9”
- Tall Vase with Birds, Slip cast whiteware with glaze, 24” x 12” x 5”
- Vase with Triangle Handles, Slip cast whiteware with glaze, 16” x 12” x 5”
