Ethical pot

The ethical pot is a style of pottery and an associated theory. The name "ethical pot" was first coined by Oliver Watson in his book "Studio Pottery: Twentieth Century British Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum" for a 20th century, back-to-basics pottery movement that endorsed plainer utilitarian styles over fine art. Other names for pots in this style are the "ego-less pot" or "utilitarian pot." The ethical pot theory was conceptualized and championed by potter Bernard Leach and a more controversial subset of the Arts and Crafts movement of post-war potters. [ [http://www.aber.ac.uk/museum/collections/collectingceramics.shtml Collecting Ceramics] ] The proponents were theoretically opposed to the "expressive pots" or "fine art pots" of other post-war potters such as William Staite Murray, Lucie Rie and Hans Coper. [ [http://www.aber.ac.uk/museum/collections/collectingceramics.shtml Collecting Ceramics] ]

The "ethical pot" theory and style was popularized by Bernard Leach in his book "A Potter's Book" published in 1940. [ [http://www.adelaidereview.com.au/culture_review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1170379314&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3& Adelaide Review] ] He expanded the theories that ethical pots should be utilitarian, "naturally shaped" and originally as conceived should derive from "Oriental forms that transcended mere good looks." [ [http://www.studiopotter.org/reviews/?review=book020 Studio Reviews] ] Leach had previously spent considerable time in Japan studying eastern crafts and mingei. His ethical pot idea was a rough interpretation of mingei for the western world; he exonerated simplicity (ideally the best pots are so quick to make that they could be "thrown before breakfast"), and pots made to look natural and hand crafted.

According to ceramic art critics of today, this pot style was intended to be modernist, useful, and "democratic in usage" as opposed to the "the fine art pot." [ [http://www.aber.ac.uk/museum/collections/collectingceramics.shtml Collecting Ceramics] ] and also opposed to industrial art. Although not a universally accepted idea that useful items are morally superior to fine art objects, the movement opened a dialog about pottery art, and started pottery trends that continue to this day.

Potters in the movement

The potters apprenticed to Bernard Leach include: Michael Cardew, Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie, Nora Braden, David Leach and Michael Leach (his sons), Janet Darnell (whom Leach married, 1956), William Marshall, Kenneth Quick and Richard Batterham. His American apprentices included: Warren MacKenzie, Byron Temple, Clary Illian and Jeff Oestrich. He was a major influence on the leading New Zealand potter Len Castle, and they had worked together in the mid-1950s.

ee also

* Studio pottery
* Mingei

ources

* Britt, John. " [http://www.criticalceramics.org/articles/unknown.htm Critical Ceramics: The "Unknown Craftsmen" is Dead.] " File retrieved February 10, 2007.
*de Waal, Edmund. " [http://www.ruffordceramiccentre.org.uk/ceramic/history/hist2.htm A Ceramic History: Pioneering Definitions 1900-1940 The Studio Pot.] " File retrieved February 10, 2007.
* Leach, Bernard. "A Potter’s Book", Faber and Faber, 1988. ISBN 0-5710-4927-3
* Watson, Oliver. "Studio Pottery: Twentieth Century British Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum."