anonymous
Terra Fracta: Vessel in Amber & Sage, 1997
Formed glass vessel with hand-pieced, treated leather mosaic, natural pigments, and satin sealant
Approx 6" tall
Evoking both ancient utilitarian canteen forms and the arid topography of the American Southern Plains, Terra Fracta transforms rigid structure into an organic, tactile study of surface and material. Standing...
Evoking both ancient utilitarian canteen forms and the arid topography of the American Southern Plains, Terra Fracta transforms rigid structure into an organic, tactile study of surface and material.
Standing at six inches, the bulbous vessel features a distinctive mosaic exterior composed of hand-cut, overlapping leather tesserae. Each segment is individually toned in an earthy palette of sun-bleached ochre, raw sienna, and oxidized moss green, then treated and burnished to emphasize natural grain, crimping, and edge-creasing. The resulting tessellation produces a craquelure effect reminiscent of sun-baked riverbeds, reptilian hide, or ancient patinated bronze.
Produced in Oklahoma during the late 1990s—a period marked by renewed exploration in craft-as-fine-art traditions—the work bridges decorative sculpture with historic leatherworking disciplines like cuir bouilli. By stripping the flask of functional hardware and encasing its silhouette in an intricate tactile skin, the artist reframes an everyday archival vessel into an enduring meditation on earth, containment, and time.
Provenance
Oklahoma
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