Family of Nations
Box
1992 (made)
1992 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The work of ceramic artist Stephen Dixon often provides a personal political commentary on current world events. This box, entitled 'Family of Nations', makes reference to the United Nations and its apparent inability to prevent civil war in the former Yugoslavia. The animal figures represent nations on the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom, France, the United States of America and Russia. The form of the box echoes that of a tomb monument.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Title | Family of Nations (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Stoneware, hand-built, with applied and impressed decoration, coloured slips and glazes |
| Brief description | Box and cover 'Family of Nations', stoneware, handbuilt and modelled, by Stephen Dixon, Waterfoot, Lancashire, 1992 |
| Physical description | Small box with a cover or lid, of low rectangular form, recalling that of a tomb chest. The box richly decorated with figures, masks, animals, symbols, and other images in the form of applied sprigs, with additional modelled ribbons and drapery. On the front surface, the inscription 'FAMILY / OF / NATIONS' is impressed. On the rear surface a helicopter and tortoise are applied as sprigs, the tortoise also having a modelled human head. Inside the box, 'ANNUS HORRIBILIS' is impressed. The cover or lid, supports a scene of modelled human and anthropomorphic animal figures, and in each corner, a modelled animal head. On the underside of the lid the date 'DECEMBER 9|2' is impressed, alongside an applied rose and faux metal bolts with masks. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Credit line | Given by the artist |
| Object history | Stephen Dixon describes 'Family of Nations' as follows: "In general, the piece is about the United Nations, and its inability to act together to prevent the break-up of Yugoslavia and the ensuing civil wars. The animals are representatives of the major nations of the security council, Britain, France, America and Russia." Email, 28/12/2012 (RF/2011/115). |
| Summary | The work of ceramic artist Stephen Dixon often provides a personal political commentary on current world events. This box, entitled 'Family of Nations', makes reference to the United Nations and its apparent inability to prevent civil war in the former Yugoslavia. The animal figures represent nations on the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom, France, the United States of America and Russia. The form of the box echoes that of a tomb monument. |
| Bibliographic reference | Liz Mitchell (ed.). Stephen Dixon: The Sleep of Reason. Manchester: Manchester Art Gallery, 2005, p. 12. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.97:1, 2-2012 |
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| Record created | December 12, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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