San José Museum of Art

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Tales from the Kiln: Contemporary Ceramics

  • Two sleeping ceramic carrots cuddle on a single ceramic sofa chair. Both carrots have stocky green tops like two mini trees. They may have slept on it for so long that weeds started growing from them.

    Peter VandenBerge, Couple Watching Saturday Night Movie, 1969. Ceramic and ceramic stains, 13 x 12 x 11 inches. Collection of the San Jose Museum of Art. Museum purchase with funds contributed by the Museum’s Collections Committee.

  • Pieces of human-like ceramic shards stacked together vertically like a tower. The structure is held by a white piece of ceramic or clay as the base.

    Stephen DeStaebler, Figure Column XXI, 2002. Fired clay and pigment, 82 3⁄4 x 15 1⁄2 x 19 inches. Collection of the San Jose Museum of Art. Gift of Franklin Parrasch with additional support from the Museum’s Collections

    Committee, in honor of the San Jose Museum of Art’s 35th anniversary.

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    The art of ceramic sculpture has deep roots in California, and this exhibition featured an impressive range of works by some of the best-known artists working in the field.

    This exhibition of works from SJMA’s permanent collection was supported in part by Doris and Alan Burgess.

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