Innehållsförteckning för No. 124 från Ceramics: Art and Perception

South African Clay Awards

Never before has so much hype been generated around a ceramic’s awards exhibition in South Africa, than the recently launched Clay Awards, held at the Rust en Vrede Gallery, home to the Clay Museum, in the heart of the CBD of Durbanville in the Cape1. This ceramic museum is a well-equipped clay archive and living museum; a ceramic resource recently incorporated into the International Ceramic Academy2. The exciting build up to the exhibition can be attributed to several factors that I will address later in this article; but first, the million-dollar question on everyone’s lips is, “did the small number of selected ceramic works deliver the creative and innovative punch the organisers, selectors, the collectors and visitors to the exhibition were expecting?” Anticipation reached a crescendo closer to the launch…

17 min

Melanie Brown: The Familial in Teapots

Much has been written and said about tea. The words “chai garam garam chai” (tea hot hot tea) are constantly shouted by tea vendors on the streets of India, and in many countries, the activity of drinking tea has created its own routines and culture. Tea is often an accompaniment to socialization, relaxation and conversation. Cultural differences can be seen in its presentations as well as in the preparation. The Chinese drink their tea from handleless cups, the Turks from thin-waisted glass cups; the Russians brew their tea in a samovar, and the Americans use tea bags. These differences have contributed to many branches of applied art and, in particular, ceramics. Tea was first used for medicinal purposes. Its homeland is the region between Southeastern China, Upper Burma and Central…

7 min

Social Ideology in Ceramic Art

Since the beginning of history, the relationship between society, ideology and art has been shaped by the conditions of their particular contemporaneous time. Over decades, it is people who shape the societies they live in according to their needs and evolving social structures. Therefore, society becomes a concept that reflects the purpose, structure and content of ideology, while ideology becomes a concept that reflects the society in which it lives. The concept of ideology, has been shaped around the ideologies of sovereign powers, religious groups and/or individuals, and has been used in many different contexts. Today, ideology as it relates to society, tends to be viewed through a prism of the western ideals of democracy, personal freedom and human rights. From this point of view, we can summarise that society…

7 min

Jiha Moon:"Fool’s Moon" at Derek Eller Gallery, New York

This exhibition of Jiha Moon’s ceramics and paintings was so packed with color and motion that one might first see it as expressing hysteria. A second impression might be joy. And a third thought is that her work is a complex overlaying of cultural referents. Moon is Korea-born but long resident in the U.S. and now teaching at Florida State University in Tallahassee. She acknowledges Western popular culture – one work addresses actor Keanu Reeves – but she also prominently refers to her roots with jar, vase and teapot forms laden with simplified drawings or three-dimensional appliques such as dragon scales, peonies, peaches, dumplings and mythical beasts. She combines these with banana peels and kewpie-doll-like heads of less-clear reference. The result, in the objects, is mostly a sense of effervescent…

The 25th anniversary of the Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics

The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery will announce and celebrate this year, the 25th winner of the Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics. The Award was founded and funded by Winifred Shantz (1923-2012) who, with her husband Keith Shantz (1916-1992), set up an endowment fund, The Keith and Winifred Shantz Fund for the Arts, held at Waterloo Region Community Foundation to assure the perpetuity of the Award. Winifred worked during the day as a secretary for insurance companies in Waterloo, Ontario, and after work, she was throwing vases, teapots and bowls. She also started a pottery supplies business locally and was involved in multiple art projects. With Ann Roberts and Aggie Beynon, Shantz spearheaded the idea of a national gallery devoted to clay and glass in Waterloo with the support of…

7 min

Power Platform: Reinhold Rieckmann’s Imaginary Classical Period

In the fleeting passage of dreamsOnce moreBefore my tightly sealed eyesThe city ignites in her flameWalls ablaze with passionBlind windows and door crevices alightLeading meInto a realmOf nothingness Cold ashen domeDull to the coreAn empty houseHas banishedThe ghost in the illusionDawn descendsPiercing through this shroud of gloom StepsApproach with hesitationHandsResting on the chilled city wallWith a broad bladeI carve Heavy flagstone InstantlyInscribe this wordConstructingA canvas where truth and falsehood intertwineAnd the ethereal structures of illusion entwine Named itThe ruins ofThe future god – Alain Robbe-Grillet (A Picture of a Soul City) Translated by Chen Jian This poem, by the French writer and filmmaker Robbe-Grillet, was printed to accompany Reinhold. Rieckmann’s powerful exhibition. It instantly transforms emotion into a profound context, with the weighty imagery shifting through the words, evoking a…

3 min

Q&A: Glaze Additives

Q: Does my glaze need an additive as it is dusty and flakes off the bisque surface? The first step is recognizing if a glaze needs an additive, and then deciding on the appropriate amount needed. An accurate evaluation of the glaze defect is a critical factor in the choice of an additive. Glaze additives can be used to keep liquid glazes in suspension and stabilize dry dusty glaze surfaces. The actual cost of any additive is insignificant if it solves the glaze application problem. Once the appropriate additive is chosen the critical point is to use only as much that is needed. It is often the case where too much of a good thing is bad resulting in a whole array of different glaze problems. For example, too much…

The Illusion of Ke Hegen’s Glazes

The rise of high-temperature color glaze is undoubtedly one of the biggest changes in Jingdezhen in the past decade. These glazes, originally intended for decorating utility objects, have gradually become an important material for ceramicists who paint with glazes. Ke Hegen is a pioneer of this technique and one of the most outstanding artists in Jingdezhen. He first dabbled in ceramics in the early 1980s and is still innovating some 40 years later. Ke Hegen has studied Chinese painting and calligraphy since childhood, and has a deep understanding of the aesthetics of traditional Chinese art; he also received training in western-art graphic composition. He later pioneered the popularizing of the three basic elements of design (plane, color, and three-dimensional composition) in Chinese universities. As a southerner, Ke Hegen’s love for…

Interview: David Ray

Driving to an interview is always equal parts nerves and excitement and thus it is as I wind my way through the countryside of Victoria, the browns and ochres of the goldfield region giving way to urban density as we (the trusted partnership of Google maps and I) skirt Melbourne on its great wide ring road and head north - into the lush green hills of the northern suburbs. Bush-lined roads dip and turn, twist, then fold back on themselves in a series of dizzying snapbacks before Google announces we’re here – in the hidden verdant pocket of the Yarra Valley that is home to ceramicist David Ray. Niceties over and questions not yet begun, we take a little tour. First, the art upstairs – a mix of made and…

15 min

Mike Dodd: A Life of Looking

The best expression about life,’ Mike Dodd says, ‘isn’t about “me”, it isn’t about ego. You’ve got to look without baggage. Because in the looking, is life.’ This is the peculiar paradox the artist finds himself in, existing in the inescapable ‘beingness of “I am”,’ as Mike calls it – ‘the only thing that is actually true’ – while striving to translate personal feeling into something communicable. Mike has spent the last six decades divesting himself of ego in pursuit of a deeper understanding of form in ceramics and of sharing that with the world. The results are pots (if you’ll forgive the cliché) that seem inseparable from the man. So if the largest pots in his latest exhibition – a series of grand, noble jugs and vases especially –…

15 min

Always the Bridesmaid: Still Life in Clay

Still life art has, throughout the ages, been a staple subject for artists. From ancient Egyptian tomb imagery, to memento mori paintings, and the different experiments with color and composition of the Post-Impressionists, still life work has consistently seen the vessel as a necessity that holds the fruit and is simply just that, a vessel. Some artists, over time, have given some emphasis to the containers, but bowls, plates, etc. have usually been regulated as the conveyance that presents the far more colorful, symbolic, engaging fruit, or other objects held within. I recently had a ceramic sculpture included in an exhibition featuring work inspired by the concept of still life art. When I was asked to participate in Ordinary Things at the 80 Santa Fe Gallery in Overland Park, Kansas,…

11 min

Kate Malone: The Last Decade

2024 was another milestone in the life and career of Kate Malone. Firstly, there was the publication of a new monograph celebrating her practice Force of Nature: The Art of Kate Malone, published in May by Skira. It is a mighty production. In November 2024, a solo exhibition of her work was held, featuring new pieces that revisited her classic themes. The exhibition took place at Adrian Sassoon’s newly opened contemporary space in the heart of Central London, tucked away amongst the overseas embassies and international business headquarters. In 2018 Kate saw a major change in her home and work life. That being the gradual move to a new theme in her work and the other a new studio in Thanet (East Kent), close to the English coast, while keeping…

9 min

The Legacy of Mesopotamia: A Transformation from Glazed Brick to Modern Art Practices

Mesopotamia, one of the oldest civilizations in human history, has had a profound influence on architectural and artistic practices. Glazed brick, a key material in this region, transitioned from load-bearing elements to vital components of aesthetic architecture1. The use of brick, particularly in Southern Mesopotamia, marked a significant development in construction techniques due to the scarcity of natural resources and the demands of settled life2. The emergence of glazed brick enriched architectural aesthetics and ensured structural integrity, contributing to the visual identity of ancient cities such as Babylon. The Ishtar Gate serves as a prime example of this artistic tradition, showcasing not only the grandeur of ancient architecture, but also the intricate relationship between art and architecture in Mesopotamian society3. Today, brick is not only used traditionally but also as…

Mandarin Porcelain: The Image Construction of Chinese Confucian Aristocracy in 18th-Century Europe through Cultural Transcreation

In his work The Mandarin, Portuguese writer de Queiroz states: “In China, there is a Mandarin who is wealthier than any legendary or historical king. You know nothing about him, not his honorable name, not his countenance, not the silk he wears.”1 The term ‘Mandarin’ originates from the West, and is their name for Chinese Confucian officials and aristocrats. In the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, ‘Mandarin’ is defined as “a government official of high rank in China in the past”. Later, it was used as a term to define other things such as ‘Mandarin porcelain’ referring to the famille rose porcelain decorated with Chinese Confucian officials and aristocrats in Qing dynasty attire. The Mandarin image first appeared on export famille rose porcelain, usually decorated with one or more figurative scenes…

16 min

Shida Kuo “Work 1993-2023” at Nunu Fine Art, New York

This exhibition presented Shida Kuo’s ceramic floor and wall sculptures, along with two groups of prints, with an elegant spaciousness that gave each piece respect. In the graceful and balanced installation, it was easy to get lost in the subtleties of an individual piece, yet also easy to take a longer view and look at a family relationship among the works despite the three-decade time span of their making. Kuo, originally from Taiwan, as is this New York outpost, has been living and teaching in New York during these years, so one might suppose that American influences may have been added to his innate inclinations. The nature of that resemblance, perhaps surprising, is the suggestion of cartoons. The works are muted in color and simple in form, and often a…

Q&A: Trimming Defects

Q: Why are my porcelain pots cracking after trimming? There could be any number of reasons why a porcelain pot would crack starting with the fact that porcelain clay body formulas are typically composed of 50% kaolin, with the remainder 25% feldspar and 25% flint as compared to stoneware clay body formulas having 80% to 85% clays with lesser amounts of feldspar, flint and other raw materials. The lower amount of clay in porcelain formulas as compared to formulas with higher percentages of clay can cause deficiencies in forming operations, faster drying times and decreased dry strength all of which can cause cracks when trimming the “leather hard” pot. The term “leather hard” can be misleading and subjective as it can range from almost “bone dry” to wet and pliable…

The Wildness of Clay

Ceramic artists struggle to agree on a working definition for wild clay. Its name reflects this resistance to sorting into a reproducible container of language. Wild clay, as defined as clay sourced from the ground, could be applied to all clay (and wild glaze materials, but for the sake of brevity, I will address clay and glaze materials alike) as, excluding artificial polymers marketed as clay, all clay materials are sourced from and created by the geological processes of the Earth. Wild clay defined as a function of location addresses the carbon footprint of transportation, but fails to account for the method of extraction: If I live next to an industrial clay mining facility, would that material be wild to me? Matt Fishman comes closer, defining wild clay as having…

Craftscape

Sir John Everett Millais’s painting Christ in the House of His Parents, Charles Dickens blacksmith Joe Gargery and Oak in Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd are all examples of the Victorian trope of the essential goodness of simple traditional rural craft objects and their makers. There are also many examples of the opposing binary that urban, industrial manufacture is associated with moral decay, excess, ugliness and evil. Despite the descriptions of waggon making by George Sturt and scythe making by Thomas Hennell one would think that the subdivision of labour was a dastardly invention of mass production. In essays written in the 1920’s by the founder of the Mingei movement Soetsu Yanagi hand craft is described as bringing us closer to nature and thus to God. One would think…

12 min

Gregory Pierce Beneath, Betwixt, Between

Gallery 110, Seattle October 3‑November 2, 2024 A Dim Flicker Side Rail Collective Gallery, Seattle September 1 – October 31, 2024 It was an encounter with Chinese scholar stones at the Fogg Museum of Harvard University in 1994 that triggered a long body of work Gregory Pierce has been addressing for the last decade or so. In addition, a variety of abstract Japanese ceramic artists, some functional, some not, bear echoes or parallels to Pierce’s sculptures. They are not vessels, nor hollowed-out sculptures, nor functional allusions in any way. Put another way, what with their roughly textured surfaces, they seem a more brutal version of Ron Nagle – on steroids. Highly unusual, Pierce’s pedestal objects operate on a number of interpretive levels. For example, they could be part of a…

The Language of Clay: Multiple Identities and Cultural Narratives in the International Shiwan Cup Youth Sculpture and Ceramic Art Exhibition

The International Shiwan Cup Youth Sculpture and Ceramic Art Exhibition has become an important event in contemporary ceramics with its cultural background rooted in the millennia-old history of ceramics and its inclusive international perspective. The theme of this exhibition, Dynamic Clay, not only echoes the vitality and plasticity of the ancient medium of ceramic art but also explores how ceramic sculpture and ceramic art can maintain their vitality and resilience, and the possibility of diverse expression, in an ever increasing digital era. Since its inception, the Shiwan Cup has successfully been held for 12 sessions and has gradually developed into an important platform for young ceramic artists worldwide to showcase their talents. Shiwan ceramics, as a cultural calling card of Foshan, China, embodies a profound historical legacy regarding its craftsmanship.…

11 min

Another Brick in the Wall

Some people may still remember Charles Kingsley’s The Water Babies; the once immensely popular Victorian story of Tom who escapes from the cruel life as a child chimney sweep. What people may not know is that in 18th and 19th century Britain children helped to make the chimneys as well as clean them. Perhaps because sweeps had to enter upper class homes to do their work, the abuse of such children has been documented. Accounts of child labour in other areas of work, such as mining and the textile industry exist, but little in brick production until the 1833 Factory Act, however evidence of child labour can be found today in old walls. Imprints of small fingers, like fossils, made in the still-wet bricks over two centuries ago can occasionally…

8 min

The Asymmetry of the Korean Moon Jar

The ‘Moon Jar (Dalhangari)’ is a traditional Korean porcelain produced during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), specifically during the reign of King Sukjong, to King Jeongjo (1661-1800). Its name is derived from its round shape resembling a moon (Dal). It lacks decoration, and the surface color is close to a pure milky white. The body is not perfectly round, featuring an asymmetrical shape, tilted to one side. Until the early 20th century, it was known only to a small number of collectors as an ‘art piece’. However, in recent times, it has gained recognition as an important cultural asset, and considered a symbol of Korean history and culture. It was exhibited in the National Museum of Korea, and has appeared at events including the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Historically, many art…

10 min

Exploring Fast Firing Techniques in a Soda Kiln

As a ceramic artist, the speed of firing in a reduction kiln has always intrigued me. For a while now, I have been utilizing an old electric kiln (36” height, 29” diameter) set up outdoors for soda firing. This kiln has undergone various modifications, including multiple spray holes at different levels to achieve that coveted soda effect on my pieces. Additionally, I cut a hole in the lid and installed a chimney lined with kiln fiber. During the firing process, I pack these holes with the fiber to help maintain temperature, making it easy to access them for spraying when needed. Positioned at the bottom of the kiln, there are two burner holes that sit somewhat opposite each other. Initially, I relied on a single Ward burner powered by a…

3 min