Encoded Megabean Item Number: 2825/1 a-i from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Large ceramic sculpture of half of a giant bean pod (part a) with 8 ceramic beans (parts b-i) of different sizes that sit inside the open pod, filling it from end to end. Pod is dark brown with a light pink-off white tip at one end. Interior of pod has symbols etched into spaces that match those marked on one side of the beans that fit in each part of the pod. Beans are all a light pink to off-white colour.
Narrative
The artists' statement from the 2005 "Transformations Ceramics" exhibition reads: "The Encoded Megabean is a larger than life smoke-fired pod containing burnished porcelain beans that are encoded with symbols of the wanderer, branch, circle, square, crystal, spiral, triangle and ray. Informed by the concepts found in "Chaos Theory" some of these symbols represent the building blocks of nature, the elemental forms from which everything in existence is derived. Its superimposed scale suggests the possibility of genetic interference in our ever-developing world. [It] is a metaphor for our fundamental relationship to this very primal concept of existence, declaring that humans can never overcome nature, despite our ever-growing connection to technology." The sculpture was published in, and the cover image for, "TransFormations: Ceramics 2005 (Potters Guild of British Columbia)" by C.E. Mayer, a publication for the above exhibition, held at the Burnaby Art Gallery (page 29).
Item History
- Made by Cathi Jefferson (Maker), Judy Burke (Maker) and Alison Pettery (Maker) in British Columbia, Canada during 2004
- Owned by Cathi Jefferson before October 10, 2010
- Received from Cathi Jefferson (Donor) on October 10, 2010
What
- Name
- Encoded Megabean
- Identification Number
- 2825/1 a-i
- Type of Item
- sculpture
- Material
- clay and glaze
- Part A
- height 19.8 cm, width 25.0 cm, depth 116.0 cm
- Part B
- height 13.5 cm, width 11.0 cm, depth 9.5 cm
- Part C
- height 14.0 cm, width 13.5 cm, depth 10.0 cm
- Part D
- height 20.0 cm, width 13.5 cm, depth 10.2 cm
- Part E
- height 19.5 cm, width 14.0 cm, depth 10.0 cm
- Part F
- height 21.0 cm, width 15.0 cm, depth 12.8 cm
- Part G
- height 19.5 cm, width 14.0 cm, depth 10.0 cm
- Part H
- height 13.5 cm, width 14.0 cm, depth 10.5 cm
- Part I
- height 11.0 cm, width 11.0 cm, depth 8.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Canadian
- Creator
- Cathi Jefferson (Maker), Judy Burke (Maker) and Alison Pettery (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- Cathi Jefferson
- Received from
- Cathi Jefferson (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- during 2004
- Ownership Date
- before October 10, 2010
- Acquisition Date
- on October 10, 2010
Other
- Item Classes
- ceramics; porcelain
- Condition
- excellent
- Accession Number
- 2825/0001 a-i