Comedian (A.R.T.)

sketchfab

Dr Iskandar's references span a wide range of sources, incorporating literature, music, film, and popular culture. His fondness for comedies in both Malay and English makes it no surprise he named this vessel 'Comedian'. He playfully brackets the acronym 'A.R.T.' as his inside joke that the art world often masquerades as one big comedy. Dr Iskandar's Comedian pays homage to the alabastron form, characterized by a broad, flat lip at its top. This ancient vessel was renowned for storing perfumed oils and got its name from the smooth material of alabaster. In this piece, Dr Iskandar gives the alabastron a modern twist, utilizing his 'exposed coil' and resist techniques that create grooves, textures, and crisscrossing lines on its surface. The shape and visible 'coil' patterns clearly indicate that this is a hand-built vessel, not one thrown on a wheel.