Items Similar to "Caress of Water" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8
"Caress of Water" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
$7,000
£5,290.06
€6,076.60
CA$9,846.02
A$10,424.36
CHF 5,641.37
MX$124,590.32
NOK 70,318.95
SEK 64,304.19
DKK 45,384.37
About the Item
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics Thompson gathered from the Thames River at low tide in a practice known as “mudlarking.”
Fragments of blue-and-white porcelain swirl in currents around the base of this large earthenware jar entitled “Caress of Water,” swelling and receding like the churning tides. Ceramic figurines, serveware, and objets d'art merge and fuse into waves of bold blue color, each glazed in the style of Chinese export, majolica, talavera and chinoiserie wares. To form the collage, well-placed shards are plastered to the side of a found jug with mottled brown glaze. The jar itself is brushed with a blue floral motif and marked by a repaired hairline crack, preserved in the spirit of collage or kintsugi. The amalgam of forms that comprise the jug’s relief achieves a continuous, amorphous surface texture, contrasted - upon closer inspection - by the delicate, ornate details of the individual fragments.
"Caress of Water," 2024
Michael Thompson
Porcelain shards and found objects on stoneware vessel.
- Creator:Michael Thompson (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)Width: 19 in (48.26 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2024
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:Seller: CMT2591stDibs: LU820039640262
Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson is a well-known Chicago artist whose work has been featured both locally and internationally. From elaborate sculptures made of found objects to his well-known “kite” series, Thompson combines traditional objects, large-scale collage and the aesthetic of the abstract. His unique kites combine painting, collage, and sculpture and crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and layers of found ephemera – including kimono silk, obis, paintings, scrolls, drawings, and book pages collected on his travels. Thompson has earned an international reputation for his kite works, an engrossing project initiated by the artist more than a decade ago.
About the Seller
5.0
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 1997
1stDibs seller since 2006
1,760 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 2 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Chicago, IL
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View All"Beach-Combed Mochaware" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
"Bouquet" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
"Iridescence" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
"Pompeii" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic, Stoneware
"China Cabinet" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic, Stoneware
Provincial Chinese Wine Jug, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This ceramic jar from China's Shandong province has a bottle-neck shape meant for storing vinegar or wine made from rice and grain. Dated to the early 20th century, the jar was likel...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Primitive Jars
Materials
Ceramic
You May Also Like
"Caress of Water, " Mixed Media Sculpture
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Two-Handled Jug, Fabulous, Unique Mid-Century Sculptural Piece by Gambone
By Guido Gambone
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Both modern sculpture and practical object, this stunning Mid-Century jug with a curving basket handle and a knob opposite the spout was created by one of the era's greatest artists,...
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Pottery
Materials
Clay
"Beach-Combed Mochaware, " Mixed Media Sculpture
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Transformation, Water
Ceramic Kettle by Nacho Carbonell
By Nacho Carbonell, Rossana Orlandi
Located in Milan, IT
“We are what we make” says Nacho Carbonell about his work. Nacho Carbonell creates a kettle which communicates its state through body language, showing us how to treat it. Hot Kettle...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Jars
Materials
Ceramic
Vintage Decorative Serving Jug, English, Ceramic, Ornament, Royal Doulton, 1930
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage decorative serving jug. An English, ceramic ornament by Royal Doulton in the Autumn Leaves pattern, dating to the early 20th centur...
Category
Early 20th Century British Tableware
Materials
Ceramic
Pitcher of Water by Marta Bonilla
Located in Geneve, CH
Pitcher of water by Marta Bonilla
Dimensions: D8 x H27 cm
Materials: Cobalt.
Pitcher of water High-temperature water pitcher hand-modeled with cobalt-colored patterns
Marta B...
Category
2010s Belgian Post-Modern Vases
Materials
Metal
$395 / item
Read More
A Pair of Monumental Stone Tigers Protect and Guide Wandering Souls
The Qing dynasty beasts honored the dead and warned off malicious spirits.
Chicago’s Pagoda Red Has a Spirited Mix of Asian Antiques and Bold New Art
For 25 years, gallerist Betsy Nathan has leveraged her keen eye and key connections to bring a unique selection of rare finds to the market.
More Ways To Browse
Decorative Jug
18th Century Chinese Export Porcelain Vase
19th Century Chinese Blue White Jar
Ceramic Water Jugs
Michael Thompson Kites
African American Folk Art
African Jug
Chinese Majolica
Stone Jug
Vintage Mannequin Head
17th Century Cherub
17th Century Putti
Alabaster Head
Alabaster Sculpture Signed
Antique Bagpipes
Antique Love Letter
Antique Metal Figurines
Apollo Bronze Sculpture














