Contemporary Figurative Ceramic Shard Sculpture Appraisal

Contemporary Figurative Ceramic Shard Sculpture

This item is a contemporary studio pottery sculpture composed of various jagged, irregular ceramic shards arranged in a clustered, organic formation. The piece is constructed from a buff or light-tan earthenware or stoneware body, which is primarily covered in a thick, satin-to-matte white glaze. The glaze application appears intentional but rustic, with dark firing specks or iron spots visible through the surface and some areas where the glaze has pooled or thinned, revealing the underlying clay body. One prominent shard takes on an almost pyramidal or sail-like shape, while others are more curled and blade-like, suggesting an abstract botanical or architectural form. The construction relies on the overlapping and joining of these individual slabs, possibly bonded during the firing process or with cold-connection adhesives. There are visible dark marks on several of the white surfaces, which could be intentional decorative spots or surface scuffs. The edges of the shards are intentionally rough and uneven, contributing to a deconstructed aesthetic typical of late 20th-century or early 21st-century contemporary craft. The piece sits directly on its base without a plinth; the bottom edges show exposed, unglazed clay. Condition appears fair, though the inherent fragility of the sharp extensions makes it prone to chipping, which may be present given the 'broken' nature of the design. No maker's mark is immediately visible in the current orientation, suggesting it may be signed on the underside.