Virgil Ortiz Cochiti Pueblo Clown Monos Figure [SOLD]

This polychrome clown figure was created by Cochiti Pueblo artist Virgil Ortiz. It is an excellent example of Ortiz' unique, modern variation of Cochiti figurative pottery. This piece is colorful and spirited, offering a figure that is notably rich in detail. Ortiz' talent and experience are evident in the way this figure stands, opening his mouth and raising his right hand. His movements feel natural, and his facial expression invites the viewer in to observe his performance. Many similar pieces by Ortiz use only black pigments over a gray slip, with notes of orange appearing only as earrings. Here he incorporates that beautiful orange tone into the clothing design, adding stripes, flowers, and a heart painted on the figure's nose.

Ortiz further elevates the visual impact of the piece by applying his black pigments generously. This bold black comes from the wild spinach plant, which Ortiz gathers locally once a year. The leaves are removed, collected in garbage bags, then boiled and strained repeatedly in a process that lasts up to a week. The refined spinach is then poured onto corn husks and left to cure for over a year. After that considerable amount of time has passed, the materials are dry and hard; small pieces are ground and mixed with water to create the paint. As with the gathering of the clay, the collection and preparation of the spinach is a family affair—younger members of the family are learning where, when, and how to obtain the materials with which they might someday create pottery. The preservation of Cochiti Pueblo tradition is of the utmost importance to Ortiz, and these days of gathering clay and spinach hold a special significance. Ortiz often adds small amounts of his mother Seferina's wild spinach pigment to his own when painting, and assumes that future generations will do the same with his.

This figurine's left foot is signed and dated Virgil Ortiz, Cochiti Pueblo, 95. The figurine stands securely. A black stand, which grips the piece gently by its shins, is included.

Virgil Ortiz (1969-) is a Cochiti Pueblo artist who works in a variety of media, perhaps most notably as a potter. His work has been displayed in many major museums, including the Stedelijk Museum in The Netherlands, Paris's Foundation Cartier pour I'art Contemporain, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, and the Denver Art Museum. Recently, he was named the recipient of the 2022 Museum of Indian Arts and Culture's Living Treasure Award.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Virgil Ortiz Cochiti Pueblo Clown Monos Figure is from a private California collection

References:

- Virgil Ortiz: Revolution, by Charles S. King

- Man of Clay, Penelope Hunter-Stiebel, El Palacio, Winter 2016

TAGS: traditional pottery vessels, jewelry, Seferina Ortiz, Cochiti Pueblo, figurative pottery, Virgil Ortiz