Untitled, Figure Series (2019) by Paris-based artist Han-Chiao is both functional and sculptural. Han-Chiao’s vessels, which she creates by throwing clay on a wheel, are made from black sand and glazed in white zinc oxide. The material makes them look like Shang Dynasty ritual bronze vessels or Han Dynasty pottery excavated from a grave. Han-Chiao notes that her black stoneware vessels echo the millennium-old tradition of binding a Chinese girl’s feet so that she had limited mobility—and was better suited for marriage. “Comparable to the Asian women who would shift from side to side when walking, the vessel reveals this same feminine, dance-like form, counterbalanced by primitive heart-drawn shapes that imitate [cave] art from prehistoric times,” she says.

Han-Chiao gives a name to each series that hints at their inspiration. Her “Figure” vessels resemble ancient Greek amphora and are elegant, elongated stand-ins for a slender female form.

Material: Black Stoneware

H 13" x L 8 1/3" x W 7 1/2"

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