Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, a 95-year-old Venezuelan-born ceramicist, is enjoying her first major solo exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) titled *Magdalena Suarez Frimkess: The Finest Disregard*. Known for her playful, anarchic approach to pottery, Suarez Frimkess blends whimsical and irreverent imagery of iconic characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the Tasmanian Devil with traditional ceramic forms. Her pieces range from bowls and vases to tea sets, often featuring cartoon figures or popular cultural references alongside personal motifs and satirical commentary.
Having studied art in Venezuela and Chile, her career spans over half a century. Suarez Frimkess’ works reject the norms of pottery by embracing imperfection, rejecting the potter’s wheel, and favoring an unpolished aesthetic. Her creative collaborations with her husband, Michael Frimkess, combine his classical pottery forms with her unconventional decorations, creating pieces that juxtapose tradition with her quirky, pop-inspired imagery.
The artist deems her work - like this piece depicting Minnie Mouse, "serious and funny at the same time." Museum Associates/LACMA
The exhibition showcases the artist's distinctive style that merges humor, autobiography, and a disregard for artistic conventions, emphasizing her belief that art should be fun and unrestrained. Through this retrospective, visitors can explore a world of creative rebellion and see the lifelong work of an artist who refuses to conform.
