‘Deliberately Distorted: The Pottery of George E. Ohr’ opens Oct. 3
MERIDIAN, Miss. — Eccentric, brilliant and a century ahead of his time, George Ohr is featured in the exhibition entitled, Deliberately Distorted: The Pottery of George E. Ohr opening at The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, known as The MAX Oct. 3rd.
Ohr created thousands of extraordinary pottery that he affectionally called his “mud babies” that smashed the staid conventions of his craft. “No two alike,” he said proudly. On his wheel, he shaped ceramic vessels of a thinwalled delicacy and grace that few can duplicate. He crumpled and twisted the clay before adding homemade glazes in extravagantly bright colors and sometimes left them unglazed as he saw the beauty in both.
Today, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art describes Ohr as “arguably America’s quintessential art potter.” Of his pitchers, vases and other vessels, The Met says, “In form and decoration, they are essentially abstract expressionism — almost 50 years before that movement was founded.”
George Ohr is a Mississippi legend and a charter member of The MAX Hall of Fame. His mud babies have done him proud, showcasing his and his state’s artistic legacy to the world. Starting Oct. 3 and running until Jan. 10, 2021, Deliberately Distorted: The Pottery of George E. Ohr features over 40 never seen before pieces. Come and see just how astute the Mad Potter was when he said that, after his death, “my work will be prized, honored and cherished.”
The exhibit is free with museum admission.
The MAX is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. It’s easy to find at 2155 Front Street in the heart of downtown Meridian.
For more information, visit msarts.org.
About The MAX
The MAX showcases Mississippi’s Arts + Entertainment Experience in one immersive destination. Here, visitors of all ages explore the global impact of Mississippians on music, literature, art, entertainment and cuisine. The MAX honors our state’s creative legacy and inspires the next generation of creators through a unique experience of interactive exhibits. Come discover the Mississippi roots of some of the world’s greatest arts and entertainment icons — like Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey, B.B. King, Faith Hill, Sela Ward and Kermit the Frog, just to name a few.