Casa Nova Gallery

Mr. Birnbaum had been out of the art world for 20 years after graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute as one of a select group of students mentored by the famous ceramic artist Ken Ferguson. Over the next two decades, despite working-full time in business, he continued developing his unique vision and the exquisite craftsmanship that makes his art so extraordinary. He now works as a full-time artist in his studio in Long Island City, NY.

Mr. Birnbaum said that for this exhibit, he 'wanted to reclaim the aesthetics of past cultures by re-examining their images and artifacts, particular compelling forms, sensuous textures, and elegant functions of the work of 12th Century Asian potters.' He added, 'I've always been fascinated by the power of pattern and the way it interacts with form and expression. And I deliberately make works that question current expectations of ceramic art-and notions of 'art' in general. An exquisitely crafted object doesn't have to be transgressive or deviant to be a work of art.'