Some years ago I was working on some forms which were vase…
![“Some years ago I was working on some forms which were vase forms with a fairly narrow base, and it was after [Hans] Coper had died that I saw an exhibition of his, a catalogue from an exhibition, and he was showing some forms which were made by cutting and joining a lot of different parts together…” quote by Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/16b/warren-mackenzie-4654_bits_some-years-ago-i-was-working-on-some-for_61245.jpg)
“Some years ago I was working on some forms which were vase forms with a fairly narrow base, and it was after [Hans] Coper had died that I saw an exhibition of his, a catalogue from an exhibition, and he was showing some forms which were made by cutting and joining a lot of different parts together to create what he called a spade form, which you can imagine looks a little bit like a shovel upside down.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker describes discovering Hans Coper’s later work, where he assembled fragmented pieces into a new, functional sculptural form resembling an inverted shovel, highlighting artistic evolution through recombination.
In simple terms: Coper’s spade forms merge broken parts into a unified shape.
Key Takeaway
Innovation can arise from reconfiguring existing elements.
Themes
artistic evolution
material recombination
functional sculpture
design innovation
creative process
Mood
curiosity
inspiration
reflective
Type
observation
reflection
analytical
When to use this quote
- museum curators studying modern ceramics
- design students exploring modular construction
- artists seeking new forms from discarded pieces
- collectors evaluating late-period works
- educators illustrating creative adaptation
Key Concepts
form transformation
materiality
craftsmanship
conceptual reinterpretation
Practical Applications
- exhibit curation of contemporary ceramics
- workshop on modular sculptural techniques
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recombining fragments alter a work’s meaning?
- What does the spade form suggest about utility versus aesthetics?