George E. Ohr: The Greatest Art Potter on Earth

by Eugene Hecht, Ohr-O Keefe Museum of Art, Garth Clark (Introduction)

The definitive and most up-to-date volume on the celebrated Biloxi artist, who was the most revolutionary art potter of his time. Called the Mad Potter of Biloxi, the Apostle of Individuality, and the self-proclaimed Greatest Art Potter on Earth, George Edgar Ohr (1857–1918) transformed wheel-thrown pots into ceramic works that were far ahead of their time. Though the unprecedented shapes and idiosyncratic glazes of Ohr’s creations were ridiculed by some during his lifetime, he was recognized as a genius by cognoscenti, who championed his work. Today, his ceramics are seen as forerunners of the American modernist movement and are prized by collectors and museums. This handsome volume, showcasing some 135 of Ohr’s masterpieces, accompanies a major exhibition at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art that will take place in the John S. and James L. Knight Gallery, four new Frank Gehry–designed, supersized, twisted steel "pod" buildings. All-new photographs of the objects—most never before publicly exhibited—illustrate Ohr’s ability to combine color and form to create vessels of incomparable delicacy. This volume is filled with new research and fresh insights into the life and work of one of America’s most singular and creative master artists.

Genres: Art

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2013

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to call Ohr's pottery anything other than magnificent, and this book has a ton of beautiful images. The strength of his work is such that it is not overpowered by his story, which is saying a lot. Ohr cultivated eccentricity. His biography is uniquely entertaining, and the story of his work and its reception -- in his own time and its rediscovery long after his death -- is endlessly fascinating. The writing occasionally comes off as a bit too jolly, but I understand the temptation presented by Ohr's own ebullience. Overall the text is engaging and authoritative.

[Nicole Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating.