Gregg Moore, a professor of Visual Arts, opened a new exhibition at 56 HENRY, a gallery in New York City. The show, titled Pot Shop, is a partnership between Moore and Polly Apfelbaum, a contemporary visual artist and Artist in Residence at Arcadia from 2020 to 2022.

“We are excited to have our second exhibition with 56 Henry, this time in the larger 105 Henry space,” Moore said. “The project consists of 207 glazed ceramic vases and can be seen as a continuation of the work in our initial exhibition ‘Feed Your Head’ in 2023, which featured 100 glazed porcelain mugs.”

Exhibition Description
According to the gallery, the ceramics are placed on ascending pedestals and grow in size as they near the far end of the gallery. Though each pot is unique in shape, a common thread runs through the collection: an unglazed stripe around the body of each of the pots. The stripe is meant to reveal the true texture and color of the clay beneath, and is a reminder of the commonality between distinct shapes. In addition, the gallery has also been painted with a matching stripe, becoming a companion to the pots. The room is an extension of the artwork within it, a signature that stems from Apfelbaum’s immersive color installations. 

Simultaneously modern and ancient, Moore and Apfelbaum experiment with the relationship between the individual and the whole through the display of the pots. 

Some of the pots are reminiscent of Moche Pots, with their sturdy round bodies and cylindrical necks. Others swell and taper in a way that feels much more plastic and contemporary. Though they take on different forms, they are made from the same base material. Upon viewing the installation as a whole, each vessel’s presence fades and is replaced by a sensation of the sheer number of unique pots. Each pot becomes an element within the larger installation.

Pot Shop is open now at 56 HENRY, running through Dec. 20.

Courtesy of 56 HENRY, New York