I first met Kirk Mangus for a studio visit in the spring of 2012. Arriving at his house in Kent, the density of the space instantly fascinated me; the overflow of objects, artworks, and ideas, all jumbled together. Mangus's work caught me off guard-so real, profuse, out there. When news arrived of his sudden passing in the fall of 2013, I was filled with regret that I would never get to watch him throw, or to ask the many questions I have about his art. Eva Kwong, Kirk's wife, has been a true partner in organizing this exhi­bition, providing insight and generously opening their home, studio, and archive. Many hours have been spent looking through hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces; over 30 years of proLific output in ceramics, sculpture, painting, and drawing. An artist's artist, Mangus seemingly made something every day—a pot, figure from a small pinch of clay, quick sketch, or poetic note. In his approach to craftsmanship, he sought to re-negoti­ate concepts of beauty and mastery, proposing an unguarded, impassioned way of thinking, making, living, and loving.

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Though Mangus produced countless iterations of different forms and vessels, none of them feel repetitive. While partly due to his stylistic range, this is largely attributable to a particular mindset and an unbridled love of making. That fondness is palpable in the work, giving each piece an affective singularity.

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Digging for clay was a passion of Mangus's, and Ohio and Pennsylvania are renowned for their rich deposits. Kirk and Eva collected clay from construction sites, farms, and riverbeds. They also bought 40 tons of it from a local sand pit, which produced unique flashing marks in a great range of oranges, greys, blacks, and a rainbow of browns, along with a metallic maroon sheen. It behaved unlike any clay they had used before; sensitive to extreme heat, it would soften in the kiln, unfurl, rip, and collapse. This clay had to be learned through experimentation, mixing in other stabilizing clays and arriving at the ideal firing temperatures. Kirk and Eva also built their own kilns, hand-making bricks and chopping wood for the fire. As Eva describes, "Kirk was interested in the elemental materials of local clays, local wood, and local ash. They came from his land and he felt it gave his work a sense of place and uniqueness. It was rooted in Western Pennsylvania, as generations of his family were." This degree of dedication is conveyed in the works themselves, which hold a sense of intimacy and familiarity.

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Excerpts from “Things Love,” Kirk Mangus: Things Love, moCa Cleveland, 2014