Artist

Norm Schulman (Primary)

Title

Harlequin

Date

circa 1975

Medium & Support

Low fired stoneware

Object Type

Sculpture and Installations

Credit Line

Gift of Susan & Fred Sanders

Accession Number

2013.47.02

Copyright

In Copyright
© Estate of Norman Schulman

One of the driving forces of Schulman’s work was looking for the duality in human nature. He fearlessly confronted life through his ceramics. Like others in his arlecchino (harlequin in Italian) series, this work is two-sided, directly referencing that duality. One side portrays a calm, possibly pensive face; the other a wild, untamed face. Schulman transforms the lidded vessel form by turning the lid into a hat and adding elongated legs. He would later abandon traditionally functional shapes to explore the slab form and painted surfaces. Schulman played a vital role in the creation of ceramic and glass studio arts at the Toledo Museum of Art, the Rhode Island School of Design, and Penland School of Craft.

Exhibition Title: Asheville Art Museum: An Introduction to the Collection
Label Date: 2021
Type: Catalogue Entry
Written by: Whitney Richardson