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Image of Binary Form II

Binary Form II
1987

Porcelain
5 x 6.625 x 9.5 in.
Gift of Richard W. Gold from the Arthur J. Williams Collection
2024.12.51

A primary concern of the abstract expressionist movement in ceramics was to explore the medium’s sculptural possibilities. Cornelius did just that. He became known for his experiments with the plasticity of clay, porcelain. Trained within the vessel tradition, he began experimenting with the fragility of paper-thin slices of porcelain that had been cast off from other vessels. Upon finding that the clay remained stable through the firing process, Cornelius pushed the limits of porcelain, calling the subsequent objects “thinware.” Binary Form II display his mischievous nature as he challenges the traditional form of a teapot to the point of its becoming a in-discernible object.

Born in San Bernardino, California, in 1934, Cornelius originally chose science as a major in college because he thought art would be too easy. When he was drafted into the US Army in the middle of his college career, he used his 18-month tour of Europe to reacquaint himself with art, visiting museums and galleries during his off-duty hours. In 1960 he received a BA in life science from San Jose State University, and went on to receive his MFA from Claremont Graduate University in 1965, where he studied with Paul Soldner. Cornelius taught ceramics at Pasadena City College until his retirement.

Billie Sessions, PhD.

Keywords
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abstract*, rectangles, triangles, vessels*
  • abstract - Genre of visual arts in which figurative subjects or other forms are simplified or changed in their representation so that they do not portray a recognizable person, object, thing, etc.; may reference an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object. For the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances, prefer "abstraction." For 20th-century art styles that were a reaction against the traditional European conception of art as the imitation of nature, use "Abstract (fine arts style)."
  • rectangles
  • triangles
  • vessels - Containers designed to serve as receptacles for a liquid or other substance, usually those of circular section and made of some durable material; especially containers of this nature in domestic use, employed in connection with the preparation or serving of food or drink, and usually of a size suitable for carrying by hand.

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