Boise Art Museum

I went to the Modern and Contemporary Ceramics exhibit at the Boise Art Museum which was sponsored by Kay Hardy and Gregory Kaslo. The piece in particular I looked at was created by Richard Shaw in 2005, is 1.5' x 10'' , and made out of glazed porcelain with overglaze decals. The context for display is really just to display the ceramic medium.

The piece is like a house of cards stacked on top of a book, stacked on top of a sideways cigarette or cigar box with a China cup inside. All of this is on top of a cigarette or cigar lid. My first impression was one of whimsy due to the playful colors, house of cards, and the teacup. To be more specific about the piece, 19 blue cards are stacked like a house of cards on a blue book titled, "Ring of Fate", which is stacked on a sideways yellow cigarette or cigar box with a white and blue China teacup inside. All of this is stacked on a yellow cigarette or cigar lid. The words I would use to characterize what I see in this display are colorful, playful, curious, and hidden. The piece is displayed in a vitrine and is part of a collection of other ceramic works. It is also labeled with information about the piece. The objects are simulated and the piece can be seen from all around. 

I think the overall meaning being conveyed is fun. Some elements found in this piece are color, line, and shape. I think some of the choices the curator made had to with financial information rather than factual information. A question that is not posed is what the piece is truly about. I think the context does influence the meaning. I think the intended audience is people who go to art museums and people who really like ceramics. I think the installation is effective.