Gordon Baldwin initially trained as a painter before studying ceramics at the Central School of Art, London, from 1951 to 1954. Baldwin’s work developed in the opposite direction to many of his contemporaries, gradually moving away from purely sculptural abstract forms to an exploration of the vessel.

Creating a rich variety of forms in series, from bowls to less obvious containers with openings, Baldwin never ‘decorates’ his work, the marks and colours he applies are integral to the form. [1] In this piece the energetic black lines outline and emphasize the jagged edges of the vessel, in sharp contrast to the smooth, mottled white clay body. This directly challenges our perception of ceramic form versus decoration. We can only follow the direction of the black lines if we move around the bowl (as one would a sculpture), and follow the design by looking inside the form too.

Around the mid-1970s Baldwin’s work turned from predominantly black to predominantly white and he began concentrating more on earthenware. He developed a slip which gave a dry white surface which he applied very thinly in many layers. The figurative elements and letters disappeared in favour of drawing or painting on the white surface. Often pieces were reworked and refired several times. While Baldwin’s work gives the impression of random events – edges that look like torn cardboard, painted works that defy explanation – it is highly controlled. [2]

Katharine Malcolm, June 2021

[1] https://www.yorkartgallery.org.uk/exhibition/objects-for-a-landscape/

[2] Paul Rice and Christopher Gowing, British Studio Ceramics in the 20th Century (London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd., 1989), pp. 140-141.