Diptych: The Balcony

Woodman is one of the best-known and most respected of American ceramic artists who sought to explore the potential of vessel forms in radical new ways. The work comprises two flower vases which are also used as a field on which to depict further vessels which run off the cylinder and onto the flat backing section in an interweaving of two- and three-dimensional representation. On the other side, the two vases combine to suggest a view from a Mediterranean balcony, with a background of vibrantly glossy colours suggesting flowers and a garden (main illustration). The scale, bold colouring and conceptual complexity of this work make it an impressive and representative example, showing clearly how Woodman moves beyond the limits of traditional ceramic vessels into the realms of sculpture, painting and conceptual art.