Jonathan Adler on His 30-Year Career, Ceramics, and "The Mad, MAD World" Exhibit

The Genesis of a Potter

• 💡 Jonathan Adler describes his first encounter with clay as a profound, almost spiritual connection, knowing immediately he wanted to be a potter.
• 🚀 Despite parental support, he pursued pottery after being fired from multiple jobs, viewing it as a chance to live his dream.
• 🎨 His early work, inspired by fashion and music, was postmodern and had a gay sensibility, diverging from the then-macho pottery scene.

Artistic Influences and Sensibilities

• 🧠 Adler reflects on his time at RISD, noting the rigorous critiques and learning to avoid overly academic analysis in his own work.
• 🎭 His work is categorized into modernist (Animeia, Optimistica, Authentica, Metallica) and postmodern (Erotica, Americalia, Funkiana) sensibilities.
• 🖼️ The "Mad, MAD World" exhibit juxtaposes his creations with works from the Museum of Art & Design's archive that inspired him, showcasing his creative journey.

The Craft Movement and Materiality

• 🛠️ Adler discusses the studio craft movement, where artists elevated media like ceramics and glass into fine art.
• ✨ He highlights John Prip's metalwork, particularly a teapot, as an example of achieving an inevitable, pleasing perfection.
• 🧱 His process involves prototyping with clay, sampling, and critiquing, with a motto: "If your heirs won't fight over it, we won't make it."

Joy, Art, and Business

• 🎪 In the "Optimistica" section, Adler explores creating joyful pieces like circus-themed vases, acknowledging the leap of faith required.
• 💰 He prefers applied art for its logical, rational structure in pricing and production, contrasting it with the arbitrary nature of fine art pricing.
• 🏛️ The exhibit also features Howard Cutler, an underappreciated ceramic artist, as a muse.

Reflections on Failure and Brand

• ⚠️ Adler admits that much of his work, even the best, fails, leading him to believe that life and success often lack a clear rhyme or reason.
• 🌟 He embraces being a "brand" with a sense of humor, finding it a strange concept that emerged over time.
• 🏺 Adler's core passion remains making pots, and the exhibit has reconnected him with his love for clay, which he intends to continue pursuing.