Adam Silverman: Common Ground

Adam Silverman creates ambitious ceramic work with site-specific materials that engage their places of origin. Similar to a chef cooking with local ingredients, his works are infused with the history, culture, issues and spirit of a place. In the fall of 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, Silverman began a project to address the political and cultural divisions in America. Silverman collected materials (clay, wood ash and water) from every state and inhabited US territory and combined them into a single, new, fully integrated material. This material was then used to create 56 ceremonial vessels that celebrate the nation’s diversity and the idea of radical inclusivity. A series of 56 Ikebana arrangements made by teachers and students at Sogetsu Ikebana Los Angeles are placed in Silverman’s vessels, creating a powerful pairing of American materials and symbols with Japanese traditions. Adam Silverman (born 1963) is a Los Angeles–based artist known for his experimental processes and resulting sculptural vessels. He is regarded as one of the most dynamic practitioners dedicated to ceramics today. Silverman received bachelor degrees in both fine art and architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design.