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Artist Jackson Shaner creates pottery that borders on terrifying. His surreal vessels appear as the keeper of souls, and those souls are trying to escape. The screaming faces and tiny hands attempt to break the confines of the pots, stretching the sides and showcasing the vessels’ malleable strength. (The pots, after all, are strong enough to contain the force of these beings.) The resulting pieces are frightening yet thought-provoking and invite us to consider who and what is inside.
The inspiration for Shaner’s work lies in classical sculpture, contemporary ceramics, fantasy, and horror. “I make pots that act as metaphors for emotional containment,” he tells My Modern Met, “how I tend to ball up emotions and hold them in, only allowing myself to release and be vulnerable in specific circumstances.”
The vessels, a combination of wheel-throwing and sculpture, have a double meaning. They hold physical objects as well as the intangible. Shaner’s primary interest lies in what we cannot see. “My work deals with themes of containment, struggle, and somatization: how emotions can create physical sensations of discomfort, tension, and even pain.”
Shaner pours himself into every part of the process. “[It] is extremely cathartic and empowering as it allows my emotions to take up, and activate space.” Although the work is personal, the viewer is an important component. “I enjoy hearing viewers’ diverse interpretations, as I believe they bring new energy and meaning to my work.”
Shaner sells his work on his Instagram and Etsy.
Artist Jackson Shaner creates pottery that borders on terrifying.
His surreal vessels look like souls are trying to escape their stretchy confines.
The resulting pieces are frightening yet thought-provoking.
Shaner shares a peek into his process, and it’s something that has to be seen to be believed.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
“I make pots that act as metaphors for emotional containment,” he tells My Modern Met, “how I tend to ball up emotions and hold them in, only allowing myself to release and be vulnerable in specific circumstances.”
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
He invites viewers to offer their thoughts on his work.
View this post on Instagram
“I enjoy hearing viewers’ diverse interpretations, as I believe they bring new energy and meaning to my work.”
View this post on Instagram
Jackson Shaner: Instagram | Etsy
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Jackson Shaner.
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