Expand Your Art Collection with These Gallery-Worthy Vessels
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
For as long as we’ve been gifting each other flowers, grasses, and the like, aesthetes have needed a chic container to put them in. In most cases that’s a simple ceramic vase with a timeless silhouette, but what if we told you that said vessel could be so much more? Enter the latest examples in the product category, which challenge not just what vessels can look like, but how they can be constructed as well. Some of the craftsmanship on display in these works has evolved from longstanding traditions; others take those legacies and interpret them in completely new, exciting ways. Best of all, these can stand sans florals—they’re practically a work of art all on their own.
Baba Yaga Kiln-Cast Crystal Vessel
Yes, knitted glass is a thing. But it’s no easy feat to generate. Artist Carol Milne creates the intricate structure by first making a plaster mold, using it to cast glass, and then carefully chipping the piece free. It’s slow, physically demanding work that results in a truly one-of-a-kind final product. This particular iteration is named after a feared figure in Slavic folklore who eats children. Here, the shape imitates the witch’s house, which reportedly walked from place to place on two large chicken legs.
Flatpack in Dazzle Camo Glazed Ceramic Vessel
Ceramics as a medium goes back thousands of years, but designer Jolie Ngo’s take on the tried-and-true material feels totally 21st century. Using 3D printing and layering a vibrant color palette in an undulating, ombré pattern, the vessel takes on an almost alien quality, appearing simultaneously familiar and unique. It’s no surprise, then, that the artist cites digital dreamscapes like Minecraft and the Sims as inspiration.
Oval and Round Bud Vases in Silver-Coated Porcelain
Believe it or not, these shimmering vessels were once unglazed porcelain. In order to achieve the metallic final product, Seoul-based designer Heami Lee fires the piece, then coats it in multiple layers of silver. The result is an object that feels timeless and will patina beautifully over the years.
Yellow Slump Slatted Saguaro Glass Vessel
Looking for a fresh take on glassware? Rafi Ajl, a designer based in Berkeley, California, has a new series of vessels that will scratch that itch. Ajl’s technique involves sawing slats of cherry wood to create a textured final product that’s unique in the current landscape. This particular iteration leans into surrealism a bit with its slouchy shape.
Elegy Vessel in Calacatta Paonazzo Marble
In New York, designer Matthew Fisher is sculpting marble into monumental objects and vessels. This one in particular is made of a gorgeous Calacatta, whose shimmering nuances can truly be appreciated at this scale.
Extruded Vessel #23
Plastic has never looked so fantastic. In the hands of Chicago-based designer Norman Teague, the oft-discarded material is rendered into a vessel unlike any other. Drawing upon traditional basket-weaving techniques, Teague forces us to rethink how plastic and other traditionally single-use objects can be used, reused, and reimagined.
Spirit Fruit Glass Vessel
Artist Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert has accrued a cult following for his colorful, statement-making glassworks over the years. While often associated with dramatic sculptural lighting, his objects, like this series of vessels, are just as remarkable. In order to create these pieces, the glass is blown into a sphere that then collapses in on itself, resulting in the “ripped open” look. The final product is a reedition of work that Wintrebert began almost 10 years ago, now available via Holly Hunt.
Burnt Yellow Glass Vessel
Rafi Ajl's new collection is dubbed Saguaro, and that prickly inspiration is perhaps most evident in this particular work. Ridges, bumps, and an organic, lilting form come together to create a vessel reminiscent of a cactus encased in gold resin.
Whirlwind Kiln-Cast Crystal Vessel
Here, “knitted glass” artist Milne explores a similar but no less complex technique: knotted glass. This approach allows for different, more fluid forms, like this swirling object from her latest collection.
You Might Also Like
