In 1979, Anish Kapoor (1954) returned to his native India after studying in London for seven years. This trip resulted in the series of pigment sculptures 1000 Names (1979-1980), which brought him his first fame in England.[1] In the 1980s and 1990s, Kapoor continued to experiment with pigment sculptures in all shapes, sizes, and colors. These works, including Pot for Her (1985), are often made of wood or plaster covered with a monochrome layer of pigment powder. Because of the fragile material, Pot for Her can only be shown in one of the pavilions. It illustrates Saskia Bos’ characterization of contemporary sculptures as ‘artificial products that do not adapt to nature.’[2]

A striking feature of Pot for Her is the oval opening at the front. This makes the viewer inclined to look inside the sculpture, but it is not possible to see exactly what the dark cavity looks like. The oval shape, which also appears in a number of later sculptures and drawings by Kapoor, can be seen as a representation of the female sex. However, Kapoor does not want to make erotic work. In an interview in 1989, he said that his interest in sexuality relates to the theme of origin.[3] For Kapoor, this is a fundamental given for everything around us. Given the title, Pot for Her is a metaphor for the origin of people in the womb.

In an interview, Kapoor further explains the concept of origin symbolized by the dark cavity: ‘It’s a space of becoming… “something” that dwells in the presence of the work.’[4] According to Kapoor, the ‘space of becoming’ also embodies fear. If the viewer imagines themselves locked in this space, the feeling of losing ourselves encroaches.[5] Ultimately, Pot for Her is more visually pleasing than it is disturbing. Thanks to its shape and ultramarine blue color, the work takes on a poetic or spiritual value. This is reinforced by its pigment-powdered surface.

[1] L. Cooke, ‘Mnemic Migrations,’ in: Homi K. Bhabha (ed.), exh. cat. London (Royal Academy), London 2009, p. 163.
[2] S. Bos, ‘Contouren van Sculptuur,’ exh. cat. Arnhem (Sonsbeek 86: internationale beeldententoonstelling), Utrecht 1986, p. 14. 
[3] A. Meer en A. Kapoor, ‘Anish Kapoor by Ameena Meer,’ in: BOMB, Vol. 30 (winter 1990).
[4] C. van Winkel, ‘On the sublime in the work of Anish Kapoor,’ in: Homi K. Bhabha (ed.), exh. cat. London (Royal Academy), London 2009, p. 168.
[5] Ibidem.