Steven Young Lee perfectly formed and then deconstructed this vase. A closer look reveals roaming dinosaurs, which transform a traditional Chinese landscape painting on porcelain.
Lee expresses the artist’s role in questioning boundaries: “As artists, our role is to observe, question, and articulate the moment. An important aspect of this work is the sincerity of the investigation and the willingness to engage in difficult conversations. . . . while boundaries do exist, the mere fact of their existence invites—if not demands—that they be confronted, challenged, and reshaped.”
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, 2022
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Richard Fryklund, Giselle and Ben Huberman, David and Clemmer Montague, and museum purchase through the Howard Kottler Endowment for Ceramic Art