Michael Frimkess

Michael Frimkess is known for his thin walled classic pots often in the form of Greek urns, hydras and krater amphorae; Chinese ginger jars; Zu񩠎ative American bowls, and Peruvian pottery.

Frimkess believed he had discovered the techniques of Greek pots including the black body with red figure decoration. He threw his Greek forms in dry stoneware because he thought it to be the original method used by ancient potters. The bleeding and split fingers resulting from this process made these pots, with camp red figure decoration, all the more poignant. The Chinese ginger jar forms are first covered with white slip then decorated with china paint over low fired glazes. In both cases California imagery of contemporary narrative icons are a carefully chosen mix of high art execution of classic form and popular culture. His subject matter may appear whimsical, but, remains a social commentary on corruption, war, intolerance and questions of human influence on ecology. These classic vessels with narrative surface decoration were called, ?melting pots?. In the mid 1970?s Frimkess produced four-foot ?high stacks by combining vessels forms of several ceramic cultures. These were also called ?melting pots? or ?hookahs? and represented a desire to encourage harmony among cultures.

Michael Frimkess studied withPeter Voulkosat Otis from1955 to 1957.

Frimkess? signature style, consisting of small figures mimicking classical friezes, was further developed by his wife Magdalena Suarez Frimkess. After 1971, as Frimkess? Multiple Sclerosis progressed, Suarez Frimkess did most of the painting of the vessels. She brought her point of view to the narratives found on his pots. She had no problem painting a geisha hanging out with Popeye, reworked Bible stories or images drawn from classic literature.

In bridging contemporary culture and ancient forms Frimkess created objects that encouraged discussion of art history and pop culture.

An interview with Michael and Magdalena Frimkess conducted March 2, 22 and April 17, 2001 by Paul J. Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America is available at; http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-michael-and-magdalena-suarez-frimkess-13128.