Artist Statement:
My work as an artist is focused on questions surrounding a pot’s dual role as an object of utility and contemplation. The history of ceramics is largely the story of a pot’s portability as it travels to new places and cultures. I am curious about the processes of reception the pot undergoes in this exchange. In order to communicate this potential of naturalization, I present pots as a kind of proposition. I display them in groups, in a space where one can view them as individual objects and as an integral part of a composition – much like a drawing.
I think we relate to functional objects on a very basic level through our bodies - we call the base of a pot its foot, chairs and tables have legs. I play with how readily we can understand what an object is (a pot) and yet be confused about its function. This relationship of objects and function is the conceptual premise of my work.
Bio
Jordan McDonald studied ceramics at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, received his BFA from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax Nova Scotia Canada, and in 2011 his MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred NY. Jordan utilizes a wide array of techniques and materials in his work - primarily pots that are rooted in the history of ceramics and explore the relationship between objects and function. Jordan is currently an instructor at The Clay Studio's School.
