An exceptional stone-white spherical vase with a purple ink drip running across the top of the opening. You may find that this piece is unusual in the sense of Cunningham-Cole’s typical style; this is a refined piece with a simple colour palette, in comparison to the usual vibrant and technicolour display. The glaze choices and application do closely resemble that of a series of stoneware table lamps Cunningham-Cole designed and/or made for Danish ceramic studio Kähler - beyond that, this vase is unique.
An above view takes you into staring into a giant’s eye; the opening - a dark pupil, the ink drip - an expressive iris and main body - an aged sclera. This piece is a show of discipline, every attribute is calculated and intentional, which really reflects Cunningham-Cole’s demeanour as an artist. Despite its large scale, this piece is fairly small when compared to his huge breadth of work over the decades. However, no matter how huge, each vessel is patiently thrown with the use of a manual kick wheel.
I highly recommend watching this fascinating short documentary produced and directed by John Robach later in Cunningham-Cole's career, one of the most genuine and insightful looks at the life of the artist behind the art. It is especially interesting to watch the clay being painstakingly worked, the kick wheel process, the daftness at which the glaze brush is applied, and the immense natural forces at play in his gigantic kiln.
