Adam Silverman - Common Ground

By Adam Silverman and Sogetsu Ikebana of Los Angeles

Adam Silverman creates ambitious ceramic work with site-specific materials that engage their places of origin. Like a chef cooking with local ingredients, his works are infused with a place's history, culture, issues, and spirit.

In the fall of 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, Silverman began a project to address America's political and cultural divisions. 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 radical diversity and 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.

With contributions by Ravi Gune Wardena, Aya Muto, Akane Teshigahara, and Tony Marsh.

Inventory Press, 2023, softcover, 6.25 x 9.25 inches, 127 pages.