George Ohr, Art Potter: The Apostle of Individuality

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Robert A. Ellison

Scala, London, 2006, English

Nonfiction, Photography; Nonfiction, Art and Cultural History

ISBN: 9781857594256

From the Publisher. George Ohr (1857-1918) was the most revolutionary art potter of his time. Working in the relative isolation of Biloxi, Mississippi, around the turn of the century, he transformed symmetrical wheel-thrown pots into unprecedented abstract configurations, nearly half a century before the nonrepresentational ideas of the Abstract Expressionists took hold. As an artist, Ohr's goal was to make no two pieces alike. Furthermore, he fulfilled the ideal of the Arts & Crafts movement by doing all of his own work — from digging the clay to firing the kiln. Ohr's eccentric forms and flamboyant personality led to his being dubbed "The Mad Potter of Biloxi", but in fact he was an American icon of creativity. Today, his unique works are highly regarded and sought out by collectors and museums all over the country. This exquisitely designed volume contains over 300 unpublished works by Ohr, and features all new photography accompanied by an accessible text.

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Reed Krakoff

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A graphic portrayal of George Ohr’s radical pottery, which looks as relevant today as it did about 100 years ago.

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