Richard Bresnahan

American, b. 1953

Cake Platter. Square Tebachi
2008

Stoneware and reeds
11.5 x 14.5 x 14.5 in.
Gift of Peter and Jodie Gerdes
2022.5

Square Tebachi is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Japanese ceramic vessel. The tebachi, or handled vessel, originated during the Momoyama period (late sixteenth century), when Korean potters were forcibly relocated to Japan. Traditionally the handle is constructed from clay, but in Square Tebachi Bresnahan collaborates with the mathematician and knotting artist Paul Krueger (a working relationship that has spanned more than forty-two years) to create a dynamic woven rattan handle. Square Tebachi is wood fired with a natural ash glaze and iron slip painting. The elegant form has a folded rim and exhibits a dynamic interplay between the richness of the clay body and the swirling color of the glaze. This footed vessel reflects both Bresnahan’s interest in traditional Japanese ceramic techniques and his commitment to using the natural materials of his adopted state of Minnesota.

Born in Casselton, North Dakota, Richard Bresnahan apprenticed with the Nakazato family—revered Japanese potters with an unbroken lineage of fifteen generations and designated a Living National Treasure—for three-and-a-half years in Karatsu, Japan. The Nakazatos taught Bresnahan traditional techniques and a profound respect for how clay shapes the daily life of the maker. Bresnahan returned to the United States in 1979, and later that same year he founded the pottery studio at Saint John’s, a Benedictine abbey and university in central Minnesota. He continues to use traditional techniques, employs local clays and firing materials, and maintains an awareness of the potter’s relationship to the local environment

Matthew Limb

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This object was included in the following exhibitions:

• Unearthed , 8/23/2022 - 5/14/2023

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