Black Butte Divide
1958
Peter Voulkos (American, 1924-2002)
On View

Anyone who has taken a ceramics class or is somewhat familiar with the process of making pottery will appreciate the technical and artistic innovations of Peter Voulkos (1924–2002). Far from a typical potter, Voulkos established his reputation in the 1950s by using clay to create monumental works that redefined the conventions of the medium. As founder of the Los Angeles County Art Institute’s ceramics program in 1954 and the program at University of California, Berkeley, in 1959, he also contributed to the rise of the West Coast as a major center for contemporary art.

The Museum recently installed Black Divide Butte, 1958, in the front sculpture garden. The piece consists of thrown forms joined together to create a massive and voluminous clay sculpture. Black Divide Butte was made in Voulkos’ studio on nearby Glendale Boulevard during an early experimental phase in his long artistic career, when he was most influenced by abstract expressionism. Although he continued to expand the formal boundaries that were possible with clay, Black Divide Butte remains a quintessential example of what made Voulkos the acknowledged leader of the ceramics revolution.

Details

  • Artist Name: Peter Voulkos (American, 1924-2002)
  • Title: Black Butte Divide
  • Date: 1958
  • Medium: Fired clay
  • Dimensions: 47-1/2 x 41 x 32 in. (120.7 x 104.1 x 81.3 cm)
  • Credit Line: Norton Simon Museum, Museum Purchase
  • Accession Number: P.1958.07.11
  • Copyright: © Peter Voulkos

Object Information

Peter Voulkos, sold 1958 to;
Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena,1958-1975;
Norton Simon Museum, 1975.

Ceramics, Sculpture and Paintings by Peter H. Voulkos

  • Pasadena Art Museum, 1958-12-16 to 1959-01-25

Permanent and Loan Collection, 1974

  • Pasadena Museum of Modern Art, 1974-03-16 to 1974-06-06
  • Craft Horizons, 1974,
  • Silvka, Rose, Peter Voulkos: A Dialogue in Clay, 1978,

Additional Artwork by Artist

Honk Peter Voulkos 1963

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