Bowls: Impressions of a Community

The bowl is one of the oldest and most widely used objects. Its form, which is open and rounded, conforms to the hands comfortably, while displaying its contents to the holder with utter and open honesty. Although its function may seem to be simple, and its contribution to our wellbeing overlooked, the bowl is still just as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.The bowl has been around for at least 18,000 years. The earliest bowls, found in graves, often contained essential foods such as rice and soup that nourished its owners. Since that time, bowls have functioned as ceremonial vessels and important gifts that unified nations. Communities would often share a bowl of food to show solidarity among their members. In many cultures, bowls were passed down for generations as heirlooms and protective symbols in communities. As long as humanity needs to sustain itself physically, the bowl will continue to be a permanent fixture in all communities as it has been for thousands of years.My work reflects my respect for the bowl and its legacy through the intrinsic use of the formal elements including rhythm, repetition, and texture. The open form serves as an invitation to the viewer to hold a bowl and partake of the same hospitality offered to members of a community, while the rough bare clay recalls the earliest bowl's texture. The repetition of the bowls' shape and their close proximity to one another in a line creates a visual rhythm that hints on way societies organize themselves to protect and prosper as a whole.