Items Similar to "Caress of Water" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8
"Caress of Water" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
About the Item
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics Thompson gathered from the Thames River at low tide in a practice known as “mudlarking.”
Fragments of blue-and-white porcelain swirl in currents around the base of this large earthenware jar entitled “Caress of Water,” swelling and receding like the churning tides. Ceramic figurines, serveware, and objets d'art merge and fuse into waves of bold blue color, each glazed in the style of Chinese export, majolica, talavera and chinoiserie wares. To form the collage, well-placed shards are plastered to the side of a found jug with mottled brown glaze. The jar itself is brushed with a blue floral motif and marked by a repaired hairline crack, preserved in the spirit of collage or kintsugi. The amalgam of forms that comprise the jug’s relief achieves a continuous, amorphous surface texture, contrasted - upon closer inspection - by the delicate, ornate details of the individual fragments.
"Caress of Water," 2024
Michael Thompson
Porcelain shards and found objects on stoneware vessel.
- Creator:Michael Thompson (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)Width: 19 in (48.26 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2024
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:
Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson is a well-known Chicago artist whose work has been featured both locally and internationally. From elaborate sculptures made of found objects to his well-known “kite” series, Thompson combines traditional objects, large-scale collage and the aesthetic of the abstract. His unique kites combine painting, collage, and sculpture and crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and layers of found ephemera – including kimono silk, obis, paintings, scrolls, drawings, and book pages collected on his travels. Thompson has earned an international reputation for his kite works, an engrossing project initiated by the artist more than a decade ago.
About the Seller
4.9
PAGODA RED is a renowned resource for designers as well as collectors of contemporary and ancient Chinese, Korean and Japanese art. They offer a curated edit of fine and provincial furniture, ceramics, scholars' objects, and paintings and textiles, each piece historically and geographically authentic.
Diamond Seller
These expertly vetted sellers are 1stDibs' most experienced sellers and are rated highest by our customers.
Established in 1997
1stDibs seller since 2006
1,437 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Chicago, IL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- "Pompeii" Memory Jug by Michael ThompsonBy Michael ThompsonLocated in Chicago, ILBased in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsCeramic, Stoneware
- "China Cabinet" Memory Jug by Michael ThompsonBy Michael ThompsonLocated in Chicago, ILBased in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsCeramic, Stoneware
- "Beach-Combed Mochaware" Memory Jug by Michael ThompsonBy Michael ThompsonLocated in Chicago, ILBased in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsStone
- "Seascape" by Michael ThompsonBy Michael ThompsonLocated in Chicago, ILEntitled "Seascape," this painting by Chicago artist Michael Thompson is a departure from the collage work of his ongoing kite series. Rendered in grayscale palette, the painting has...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
MaterialsCanvas, Paint
- "Parts of Another" Collage by Michael ThompsonBy Michael ThompsonLocated in Chicago, ILBased in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art
MaterialsPaper
- "Goddess" Collage by Michael ThompsonBy Michael ThompsonLocated in Chicago, ILBased in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art
MaterialsPaper
You May Also Like
- Jug for Water Vase by Michael GittingsBy Michael GittingsLocated in Geneve, CHJug for water vase by Michael Gittings Dimensions: D 36 x W 36 x H 46 cm. Materials: Stainless steel, glass. Michael Gittings Michael Gittings imagine...Category
2010s Australian Post-Modern Vases
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Dynasty Vase #2 - Water Colored Table Vessel Aluminum Foam by Michael YoungBy Michael YoungLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAs a new phase of his exploration of working in the medium of aluminum foam, Michael Young has created a new series of vases for Gallery ALL. The Dynasty series will make its global ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Vases
MaterialsAluminum
- Dynasty Vase #2, Water Colored Table Vessel Aluminum Foam by Michael YoungBy Michael YoungLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAs a new phase of his exploration of working in the medium of aluminum foam, Michael Young has created a new series of vases for Gallery All. The Dynasty series will make its global ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Vases
MaterialsAluminum
- 19th Century Alabaster Arab Girl Holding a Water JugLocated in Brighton, SussexAn enchanting 19th century Italian carved Alabaster statue of a seated Arab girl holding a water jug.Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Romantic Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsAlabaster
- Seven Stages of Degradation, an installation by Louis Thompson & Sophie ThomasBy Louis Thompson, Sophie ThomasLocated in London, GBSeven Stages of Degradation is a unique art glass installation of seven components by the British artist Louise Thompson and the British designer Sophie Thomas. Each piece is solid glass with internal colored detail and trapped bubbles. Each topped with a found beach plastic cap. An ongoing body of work with the first set exhibited as part of the Summer Exhibition 2018, at the Royal Academy London. The artwork's aim is to highlight the current serious issue of ocean plastic. Although not essentially about it’s dramatic harmful effect on the sea’s inhabitants and environment, this artwork focuses on the prolonged duration for which it can exist within these vital waters. About the collaborating artists; Louis Thompson With a professional career spanning over 25 years, Thompson has taught in the UK and abroad. He has exhibited extensively in the UK, Europe, USA and Japan. In 2012 Thompson received two prestigious awards in the UK: British Glass Biennale Winner and the Jerwood Foundation Makers Commission. He has been invited to create installations for various museums and international exhibitions and his work is held in permanent museum collections in Belgium, Germany, Japan, Czech Republic and the V&A Museum in London. Thompson has completed International residencies at the prestigious Museum of Glass in Tacoma, The Glazenhuis Museum in Belgium and most recently at Soneva Art Glass in the Maldives. Sophie Thomas A highly respected and established leader in creative campaigning and communication design, Thomas’ long...Category
2010s British Modern Abstract Sculptures
MaterialsGlass, Plastic, Art Glass, Blown Glass
- Temptation I, a Unique Multicolored Glass Sculpture by Enemark & ThompsonBy Enemark & ThompsonLocated in London, GBTemptation I, is a hand-blown glass sculpture by the collaborative artists Hanne Enemark (Danish) and Louis Thompson (British) Incorporating an outer form in clear and pink glass whi...Category
2010s British Modern Abstract Sculptures
MaterialsSterling Silver
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
A Pair of Monumental Stone Tigers Protect and Guide Wandering Souls
The Qing dynasty beasts honored the dead and warned off malicious spirits.
Chicago’s Pagoda Red Has a Spirited Mix of Asian Antiques and Bold New Art
For 25 years, gallerist Betsy Nathan has leveraged her keen eye and key connections to bring a unique selection of rare finds to the market.