Ani Kasten is an artist creating amazing ceramics. Her works can be items for exhibition, but they can also be functional. At the same time, her functional works are all pieces of art. The artist creates simple objects which convey really important ideas.
It is necessary to note that it is not easy to see the major message of the artist when looking at her works. It may seem that the artist tries to create a feeling of antiquity or history. Nonetheless, her message is more meaningful. In her works, Ani Kasten recreates nature and natural course of life and makes viewers think about this life circle.
Her collection of functional forms deserves special attention. These are objects used in people’s everyday life (“Portfolio: Functional Forms”). The artist uses natural materials. A lot of her works are made of stoneware with slips and glazes. Moreover, the artist tries to make her items as natural as possible. The objects are of different shapes which are very natural. There are no perfect forms and shapes.
All items are unique use as anything in the world of nature. The artist is fascinated by nature, and she tries to make viewers appreciate nature as well. It is quite amazing that the artist manages to recreate different curves which are often seen in nature. It seems that the pieces of the collection are not man-made. It may seem that they were simply taken from nature (from forests and seas).
As has been mentioned above, it seems that her works are pieces of the antique world, which were found by archeologists some years ago. However, the main idea of Ani Kasten is to show the natural course of life. According to Ani Kasten, she wants to show “the cycle of life, death, decay” and “the nature of change” (“Artist’s Statement”). Her works’ shapes and colors which are used to show decay and change.
The shape of each work is as unique as an individual’s life. People are all different, and there can be no perfect thing or person. When looking at the items, it is obvious that each curve can be beautiful as perfect things are often quite predictable, which is not good for real life.
The artist uses such colors as white, grey, and black. These are colors which show clarity and simplicity. The unique form and “clear” colors show that people are also very different as they are part of the world. The colors also show that it is easy to see the world in black and white.
People should not think of meaningless things as it is easy to see the most important concepts, such as life and death, development, and decay. This is a strong and evoking message as each piece makes the viewer think.
Kasten’s works show that it is natural to change. The artist tries to tell people that the circle of life is natural and beautiful. It is clear that people should not be afraid of change or aging. There is beauty in everything, even in decay. Moreover, people cannot prevent aging or change as it is a natural course of things.
Thus, there is no need in trying to prevent it. When looking at her works, people can learn how to accept the world as it is. Thus, her works may make a lot of people happier or more satisfied with their lives.
Works Cited
Artist’s Statement. 2014. Web.
Portfolio: Functional Forms. 2014. Web.