The Lost Supper

• Title The Lost Supper
• Category Paper
• Medium Paper plate and applied decal
• Art Themes Pacific Northwest (subject or artist), Religious
• Dimensions 10"h x 10"w
• Year Completed 1972
• Description In his decal plate series, Kottler used satire to humorously critique various contemporary topics, ranging from fine art and politics to sexual norms, religious dogma, and the differing approaches of studio potters and artist potters. With some plates, like The Lost Supper (1972), Kottler removed certain subjects and titled them as such. All the products used in the making of the decal plates were premade, the only thing that Kottler added was the idea behind the pieces, challenging viewers to confront the commodification of faith and the pervasive influence of mass media in our society. (a) ceramic plate; (b) paper plate.
• Notes Howard Kottler born in Cleveland was a ceramist, conceptual artist, and a professor who played a significant role in reshaping the trajectory of contemporary ceramic art in the United States. Kottler earned a B.A. degree in biological sciences in 1952, an M.A. in ceramics in 1956, and a Ph.D. in ceramics in 1964, all at Ohio State University. He initially created traditional ceramics after studying at Cranbrook and OSU but his work shifted to satirizing American popular culture after joining the University of Washington faculty in 1965 and being exposed to California funk. The movement, Kottler states, “manifested itself in ceramics through the use of bright colors, erotic images, narrative and the use of mixed media…It was a direction that worked perfectly for me, and gave me the freedom to let my craziness run amok. I became my own man and expressed my sarcastic wit through images and titles in my art-work.” In the 1970s, Kottler, embracing pop art, expanded his artistic pursuits, creating slip cast assemblages, art deco inspired pieces, and decal plates which defined his impactful career. In his final years, Kottler stood out as one of the few prominent ceramic artists in the United States dedicated to creating sculptures. He died in 1989 at the age of 59 due to lung cancer which is speculated to be caused by working with toxic materials.
• Artist Howard Kottler American 1930-1989
• Credit Carlson Collection
• Location Library Art Storage I8
• Accession Number 1978.0010.b
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