The Grain of the Clay: Reflections on Ceramics and the Art of Collecting

(Hardback)

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Description

The Grain of the Clay deepens our appreciation of ceramics while providinga critical meditation on collecting. Weiss examines the vast stylistic rangeof ceramics, investigating the reasons for viewing, using and collectingthem. He explores ceramic objects' relationship with cuisine as an art andas a part of everyday life. Ceramics are increasingly finding their rightfulplace in museums and Weiss shows how this newfound engagement withfinely wrought natural materials might foster an increased ecological sensitivity.The Grain of the Clay will appeal to the collector in every one of us.

Reviews

"In a book both well-written and highly descriptive, the author transcends the object, the guinomi (a small ceramic sake cup), to question its relationship to all its surroundings. The guinomi comes to represent art and nature. . . . I highly recommend this book to those interested in collecting, ceramics, or seeking insight into an art collector's world."-- "Kyoto Journal"
"The book is an engaging exploration of the meaning and practice of collecting through Weiss's own personal relationship with Japanese ceramics. It provides a critical examination of how and why we collect, encouraging us to deepen our appreciation of the art of ceramic objects."-- "Ceramic Review"
"Weiss himself is a genuine aficionado. He writes with knowledge and enthusiasm about many aspects of Japanese aesthetics, from its core principles of seasonality, sensuality, and 'equilibrium of disequilibrium' to regional 'clay flavors' (tsuchi-aji) that he interestingly compares to the notion of terroir in French wines. This book will gratify those who share Weiss's sensibilities."-- "Crafts"
"Weiss urges readers to make collections part of their lives. . . . Collections tell us more about owners, institutions, and even governments than the objects themselves, their acquisition reflecting everything from discerning taste and refinement to venality. This book gives us the chance to ponder all these things--to make an orderly collection of our thoughts."-- "Japan Times"

Author Bio

Allen S. Weiss teaches in the Departments of Performance Studies and Cinema Studies at New York University. He is the author and editor of over forty books in the fields of performance theory, landscape architecture, gastronomy, sound art and experimental theatre, most recently Zen Landscapes (Reaktion, 2013).