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Gala Porras-Kim — Lid
Gala Porras-Kim

Lid

2017

Lid presents a quietly commanding object: an unglazed ceramic form resting on a mahogany base, its raw, matte surface resisting the decorative finishes typically associated with ceramic craft. Measuring just over fifteen centimeters in height, the work occupies space with an understated authority, inviting close attention to the textures and tonal variations that fired clay produces when left in its most elemental state. The pairing of ceramic and mahogany introduces a conversation between two materials with deep histories of use, ritual, and value, neither overwhelming the other but together producing an object that feels simultaneously archaeological and precise. Gala Porras-Kim works at the intersection of language, material culture, and institutional systems, often examining how objects accumulate meaning through the contexts imposed upon them. Lid participates in this inquiry by presenting a form that suggests function without fully declaring it, occupying an ambiguous territory between vessel, artifact, and sculpture. The title itself is spare and descriptive, yet it also implies concealment and protection, gesturing toward what might be covered, preserved, or withheld from view. For collectors drawn to work that holds conceptual rigor within restrained formal means, Lid offers a compelling entry point into Porras-Kim's practice. Signed by the artist and presented through the Shandaken Projects Benefit Auction, this small-scale work carries the density of larger concerns within a remarkably intimate object.

Medium
Unglazed ceramic, mahogany
Overall
Signed
Yes

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About this work

Gala Porras-Kim, Lid, 2017

Lid presents a quietly commanding object: an unglazed ceramic form resting on a mahogany base, its raw, matte surface resisting the decorative finishes typically associated with ceramic craft. Measuring just over fifteen centimeters in height, the work occupies space with an understated authority, inviting close attention to the textures and tonal variations that fired clay produces when left in its most elemental state. The pairing of ceramic and mahogany introduces a conversation between two materials with deep histories of use, ritual, and value, neither overwhelming the other but together producing an object that feels simultaneously archaeological and precise. Gala Porras-Kim works at the intersection of language, material culture, and institutional systems, often examining how objects accumulate meaning through the contexts imposed upon them. Lid participates in this inquiry by presenting a form that suggests function without fully declaring it, occupying an ambiguous territory between vessel, artifact, and sculpture. The title itself is spare and descriptive, yet it also implies concealment and protection, gesturing toward what might be covered, preserved, or withheld from view. For collectors drawn to work that holds conceptual rigor within restrained formal means, Lid offers a compelling entry point into Porras-Kim's practice. Signed by the artist and presented through the Shandaken Projects Benefit Auction, this small-scale work carries the density of larger concerns within a remarkably intimate object.

Medium
Unglazed ceramic, mahogany
Dimensions
overall: 15.2 x 20.3 x 20.3 cm
Year
2017
Signed
Hand-signed by the artist
Seen at
Shandaken Projects Benefit Auction

Related themes

Mohn Art Collective

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