I have been thinking about posting periodically on my blog,
a feature that in some respects I would consider a museum display conjured from
my own mind, pots curated for their significance for this museum mentis meae
(M3). Before you think I have gone completely daffy, what I have become curious
about is of the pots that I handle and have pictures sent to me, which ones
would actually be museum worthy and to what level, a large national venue or a
smaller, more regional location, certainly a fair number qualify for gallery
shows of a particular potter or as a link within a retrospective show
irrespective of the venue. Together with this odd idea, rather than be totally
left in the dust regarding AI, I can now in some small measure put this idea to
the test, creating AI generated images using actual photos that I have access
to, the bulk of which I have taken myself. I have debated for some time doing
this, fearing it seems either naïve or even childish but since these social
media posts are really more for me than the audience, I concluded, why not,
post a few and see where that goes and where it may lead.
For my first entry*, here is a
wonderful ash and Shino tokkuri by Kowari Tetsuya. This piece belongs to a
European collector but I decided to use this picture because of Kowari’s work,
this form and surface are simply stellar and classic, indicative to a
time-period from the mid-2010s to present. The articulated form, Kowari’s
rather idiosyncratic construction of the tokkuri, speak to the very highest
level of his work and when placed in this AI museum environment, the piece
simply looks at home. To my eye, there are no real questions as to it belonging
on display, it represents the top level of the work as I would judge a pot; concept,
form, surface and gesture/posture. Once those hurdles are met, to my mind, it
is clear that the pot differs significantly than a great majority of extant
work and earns its place among the upper percentages of a body of work. Is this
all just some exhaustive exercise and am I in any position to make any of these
determinations? Maybe you would disagree but in my mind museum, this Kowari
Tetsuya is perpetually on display and this isolated and uncluttered photo is
exactly how I see it whenever I care to bring it to mind.
(*This picture contains an actual image of
a pot or pots in an AI generated background or scenario)
.JPG)