Heart Teapot: Hostage Metamorphosis Ii

On the hunt for some ceramic art, one artist that really got my attention is Richard Notkin. His “Heart Teapot: Hostage Metamorphosis II” is my favorite. This piece took what I thought a teapot could be to a new level. I would really like to have this piece in my house, but I don’t think I would use it. To me this piece doesn’t look like it would work as a functional tea pot. This piece has many different elements like a heart, brain, and metal. The heart is the base of the shape, he uses the hearts veins as the handle and spout. On the top of teapot where the lid is, it looks like a brain. The veins of the heart look like they’re made from metal and there many spots on the “heart” that are covered with a metal chain. The veins are made to look like they have been put together with bolts . The heart looks texturally like a heart, but still has a metal like quality to it also. The texture of the brain looks how I believe a brain would be like. The whole piece is a grey color which helps to give the illusion that it was made from metal rather than clay. With it being in the shape of the heart it is an oversize heart, I would say it probably double the size of a normal heart. The artist mixed organic and industrial very well. I found myself drawn to this work of art for many different reasons. One was I find myself when building something out of clay, I try to make it look like another object or substance altogether. I want the viewer to assume it’s another material until I tell them otherwise. I feel this work has done just that ,especially with the chains. Another reason is I have just started enjoying tea, and I think this is a more manly teapot compared to the other ones that are more feminine, with bright colors, and more smooth fluid shapes. It would be a good conversation starter while drinking tea.

Richard Notkin
Heart Teapot: Hostage Metamorphosis II
6.25 x 10.5 x 5.75 in.