Aristotle said, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Psychological Gestalt theory claims that the whole is something else or something different than the sum of its parts. And if we're talking about broken china shards, I agree.
These small jagged bits and pieces certainly once were all parts of a bigger, beautiful thing, there's no doubt about that. But what about when that plate breaks and falls into a handful of small pieces? Are they not still beautiful?
Of course they are. Even though you might look at the pieces - like those in the photo above - and notice the uneven broken edges, the crooked angles, and the sharp points, you should before all that, notice, or recognize, the beauty.
That is what I thought when I pulled my very first piece of antique plate from the dirt of an ages old buried house foundation.
I instantly felt an urge to shape that china shard into something new and different, but while still allowing the beautiful pattern on the piece to remain the focus.
Comments
Post a Comment