Margaret Kot, The chubby owl
Ceramics painted in underglaze, glazed, painted in glaze,
Logo of the author and studio on the underside,
Numerical description V/2020
Dimensions: 11 x 20 x 12 cm
______
"The figures of Małgorzata Kot, a sculptor and designer who creates in Cracow under the Dydo Decor project, certainly stand out among contemporary Polish ceramics. In recent years, the artist has developed her distinctive, easily recognizable style, which consists of animalistic subject matter, elegance of form, richness of color and a large dose of humor.
Margaret Kot draws constant inspiration from the world of the fauna close to us, creating shimmering depictions of animals, full of grace and elegance. [...] Formally, Małgorzata Kot's figures evoke associations with the best traditions of European sculpture and Polish design of the Art Déco period. Her designs are characterized by extraordinary elegance of shapes, subtlety of elaboration of details, increasingly rare in modern times nobility of workmanship and materials used. Twisted rams' horns, undergoing geometrization, fanning tails of wild birds - these are elements that refer us to the forms of pre-war Polish sculpture and interior decoration of the '30s. It is also not without significance that each of the artist's models, available in different sizes, is covered with a different handmade painting decoration. [...] In search of inspiration, Margaret Kot also reaches out to avant-garde European painting. [...] There is no doubt that Małgorzata Kot's animals are characterized by extraordinary grace, elegance and craftsmanship, while at the same time they remain light, playful, perhaps even ironic. The artist often gives them witty titles, derived from the sounds they make. A duck is KWA KWA, a pig is HRUM, a rooster is COCK. Also their decoration can often raise a smile on the face of the viewer. Because won't the pig - the villain, dressed in black and white stripes, with a blindfold, which is always worn by stereotypical criminals in animated films, decorated with a red bow, amuse even the biggest gloom? That's why, in addition to admiration for their visual beauty and the author's technical virtuosity, Małgorzata Kot's animals also inspire a special tenderness, genuine and sincere affection, which make us wish they could find a place for them in our homes."
- Marcin Krajewski
