Ceramic Wall Mural “#988

Copied Robert Sperry, Ceramic Wall Mural "#988", 1991, stoneware with slip and glaze, steel, plywood, 75752 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Patti Warashina, 2021.86.2

Artwork Details

Title
Ceramic Wall Mural “#988
Date
1991
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
75752 in.
Credit Line
Gift of Patti Warashina
Mediums Description
stoneware with slip and glaze, steel, plywood
Object Number
2021.86.2

Artwork Description

Robert Sperry defined creativity as an “expression of the universe to complexify, to elaborate, and to challenge the unknown . . . to create the unknown.” This monumental wall mural breathes life into his words. The black-and-white striations, swirling and scrolling waves, and crackled surface patterns are revelations of the artist’s creative universe. Sperry achieved this texture by painting thick brushstrokes of slip (a mixture of clay and water) onto the ceramic surface before firing.


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