My time at Jingdezhen

A week has passed since I returned from China. I am still overwhelmed by all the inputs I was exposed too. The reason for my trip was to take part in an arts residency offered by Jingdezhen International School, more precisely by their WOW TAO DIY CENTRE ( Ceramic Training Base) This ceramics department is run a bit like a business. Its facilities were free to use for the university students and those on a residency but other visitors payed a fee for their ceramic experience. The department consisted of a large studio space where visitors are show and invited to try different methods of ceramic form making , eg, throwing, slab building, coiling, pinching, press moulds, and also how to work the surface of the clay before it is fired. Cabinets were filled with examples of what can be done. This room also contained the space reserved for the artists in residence .

Another room was dedicated to the surface decoration techniques ,focusing on over-glazes on shiny porcelain wares. Tthe brush work as I tend to call it is one of aspects I most admire from the Chinese way of the clay At the basement of the building there was a gallery/shop displaying wares from local workshops. WOW TAO was visited by tourist visiting Jingdezhen, school children groups, groups from other universities traveling around China, and individuals interested in knowing a bit more about the ceramic processes. It is located nearby the Old kilns site which are now transformed into a museum/ park The mood was always good and playful. I had a plan for what to do during my time at Jingdezhen... but I ended up doing something else. On my way to the center, a very nice walk crossing a patch of forest, passing by the old kiln site and a big pond, I got captivated by the assemblages nature creates. After a strong rain has washed the soil and drags whatever is on somewhere else, sometimes configuring very interesting composites of random objects glued with clay and dried out by the sun. Those objects(composites) related to my original plan of creating an object through the assemblage of various components found in the same environment. I wanted to collect the shapes of objects and reproduce them in clay but organizing them in a different way without following a preconceived idea or patron.

There was no plaster available the fist days so I started playing with the clay to experience its possibilities. I started the 3D version of one of my drawings, a nomadic village. I also started the construction without moulds of a preliminary composite catching textures with slabs of clay which would be assembled following the structure of a nature's composite found in my way to the studio. Nature's composite was just the starting point not something to copy.

The clay was very different to what I am used too, and I also forgot to bring my favorite tools. The clay was quite sticky and not very plastic, passing very fast from a very wet state to a stiff dry , I observed when throwing, it was easier for me to use more clay pulling thicker walls in order for the shape to stand. A good deal of trimming was required afterwards So I used different timings and gestures to shape it in form, weather hand building or throwing. I even got to do something I have not though about in time, a tile, a puzzle shape to fit with each other creating a big drawing. I just got to the state of making the first mould, press on mould Another quality of the clay was that after leather hard it was very easy to carve, it was a pleasure to carved it. It was better to leave time and thought for this moment as the surface texture could be worked to a high degree. .My work at the studio was then more focused on learning the possibilities of this particular clay. I just have time to experience the building processes and not the glazing and brushwork on the surface. That was a bit disappointing, but I have in my mind the though of coming back to finish my experience. The possibilities for glazing and final brushwork of a ceramic piece are huge. During my stay I was exposed to so many different artworks that I was full of ideas I wanted to try. One special place in Jingdezhen is the sculpture factory. It sits on the grounds of an old factory, nowadays it is occupied by various workshops, galleries and living in units, a caff and common areas It is a ceramicists neighborhood. very lively. They run a ceramics market every Saturday. On Friday evenings there are lectures in the big hall given by local and international artists. But there is always something going on. It is a good place to get an idea of the ceramic work produced in Jingdezhen, and how to display it.

The ways of displaying artworks caught my attention. It is something I need to improve personally. I justify myself on this by my usual lack of time and little capacity to transport props plus work when I am exhibiting outside my studio. To add I also have a non seller attitude, the artwork should be the focus not the theatrics of display. But nowadays people, due to be exposed to too much data, just browse over a landscape The artworks need to be positioned and enhanced by their display to help them to grab the attention and consideration of the public. I am not talking here of installations, that is another world apart. All Jingdezhen was populated by little ceramic workshops, galleries and shops selling materials and finalized work. I could see from my window 11th floor a landscape of flat roofs, terraces at different levels with pots drying on them.

Some new tableware

The images were taken during the Open Studios at Glebe road last week. Most of the pots are new work. This new body of work steps on my previous concept of simplicity of form( which can be used for various purposes as kitchen wares) adding now a more systematic surface treatment, dominated by bright glowing color and smooth surfaces.

Glebe Road Open Sudios 2011

Some pictures taken during our last Open Studios. They capture a bit of the atmosphere and the wares.

Functional

The lips /rim of my work are a melting point between inside and outside, the glazes meet and create something new The images show some of my recent functional work. It will be displayed at Glebe Road Open Studios, during the first weekend of December 2011. Glebe Road Studios, 18 Glebe Road, Hackney, London E8 4BD

I-SHO exhibition

Having Flowers was selected to be part of I-SHO an exhibition curated by the group 73Women.
The exhibition took place at The Gallery, Edwards Lane, off Stoke Newington Church Street N16, during 3 weeks in July. It was a very strong and diverse group exhibition very well curated by Caroline Halliday, Banu Cansever, Zoe and
+73women team * Seana, Jessica, Marion, Iliya*

The sculpture's aim was to homage women and the discovery of our creative powers, but it really refers to any living creature. It illustrates the surprise and wonder of a female when having her first period.
The menstrual cycle of women has been/ is charged with negative tones in most societies, from punishment from God to women, to women been considered dangerous or dirty during the period. I wanted to show a positive side of it as it makes females special and its a mark of our super powers.

Catching up

I have not yet written anything summarizing Local exhibition at Karim Janseen project space. Even though I was very pleased with it. It was a well curated group show at a nice venue. The opening evening everyone seemed to enjoy, including me. I do not like to stand waiting by my work all full of smiles and small talk... But this time I dedicated my time to the noble art of making cocktails and provided visitors with nice beverages. I enjoyed myself and even managed to talk with some people interested on the work exhibited.
The set of pieces which I produced for this show were done from locally resourced materials. The whole project was miles away from nowadays industrial design and design of materials. It felt like producing archetypes to be displayed in an archaeological museum. I liked it, and liked too the color and felling of the resulting pots
The comment I most liked was from a gentleman who was pleased by the unpretentiousness of the final display

Local clay

I am exhibiting new work at the exhibition "LOCAL"
An exhibition curated by SNAG at Karim Janssen Project Space
213 Well Street, Hackney London E9 6QU
Private view: Thursday 7th April 2011, 6-9pm
Friday8th -Sunday10th April 2011, open daily 12am-6pm



The ceramics are made from Hackney clay skipped at a building site in Manor road Hackney, London N16. I will also display a sort of story board explaining the process and the path the clay travels.