The Words and Wares of David Drake (Paperback)

Jane Przybysz

ISBN 10: 1643363212 / ISBN 13: 9781643363219

Published by University of South Carolina Press, South Carolina, 2024

About this Item

Paperback. David Drake, also known as Dave the Potter, was born enslaved in Edgefield, South Carolina, at the turn of the nineteenth century. Despite laws prohibiting enslaved people from learning to read or write, Drake was literate and signed some of his pots, not only with his name and a date, but with versemaking a powerful statement of resistance.The Words and Wares of David Drake collects multifaceted scholarship about Drake and his craft. Building on the 1998 national traveling exhibit catalog, "I Made This Jar.": The Life and Works of Enslaved African American Potter, Dave, and featuring more than eighty beautiful images and seven new essays, it presents the diverse perspectives of African American and American Studies' scholars, archaeologists, artists, collectors, and historians. Drake's work is now so highly prized it will be the cornerstone of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's traveling exhibit of nineteenth century ceramic art from Edgefield that opens in September 2022. David Drake, also known as Dave the Potter, was born enslaved in Edgefield, South Carolina, at the turn of the nineteenth century. Drake was literate and signed some of his pots, not only with his name and a date, but with verse - making a powerful statement of resistance. This volume presents multifaceted scholarship about Drake and his craft. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781643363219

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Words and Wares of David Drake (Paperback)
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press, South Carolina
• Publication Date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1643363212
• ISBN 13: 9781643363219
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

A celebration of the remarkable poem vessels of Dave the Potter

David Drake, who often signed his work simply as "Dave," was an enslaved potter who lived and worked in Edgefield District, South Carolina. Despite laws prohibiting enslaved people from learning to read or write, Drake was literate and signed some of his pots. His practice was not only to add his name and a date but also to embellish his work with commentary or verse―a powerful statement of resistance.

The Words and Wares of David Drake collects multifaceted scholarship about David and his craft. Building on the 1998 national traveling exhibit catalog, I Made This Jar: The Life and Works of Enslaved African-American Potter, Dave, and featuring more than one hundred beautiful images and six new essays, this authoritative volume presents the diverse perspectives of scholars, artists, and collectors.

The Words and Wares of David Drake adds important depth and context to our understanding of both Edgefield pottery and Drake's life.

David's work was the cornerstone of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's traveling exhibit of nineteenth-century ceramic art from Edgefield.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (September 8, 2022–February 5, 2023)
• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (March 6, 2023–July 9, 2023)
• University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor (August 26, 2023–January 7, 2024)
• High Museum of Art, Atlanta (February 16, 2024–May 12, 2024)

About the Author

Jane Przybysz has served as executive director of McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina since 2011. She lives in Columbia, South Carolina.

Jill Beute Koverman was chief curator of collections at the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina when she died in 2013.