Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Ute Kathrin Beck‘s ceramic vessels are impressive thanks to the unity and dynamism of form and sculptural ornament. The artist avails herself of the freedom to create sculptures that still allude to containers, yet evoke diverse associations through their physicality and imagery. Primordial marine animals are suggested by the three-footed pieces that earned her Baden-Württemberg’s state prize in 2012, while her “Sissi” vases interpret a popular theme in recent culture. This ceramist is clearly inspired by playing with formal and imagistic references and by the dialogue between shimmery inner surfaces and matte exteriors decorated with porcelain slips or metal oxides. Practical containers become cult objects and ornamental pieces which are simultaneously archaic and contemporary. Each creation expresses her distinctive view while inspiring and disconcerting its viewers.
