Ceramic Art London
I was intrigued to see the work of Jonathan Keep. Whilst I was drawn to the process from a technological perspective, it seemed to lose something of the 'soul' of the maker which is an age old argument between handmade and mass produced, although this possibly takes this even further. There seems to be something of the lost organic in the work....
CAL Symposium entry :
4pm Jonathan Keep
Digital techniques in studio ceramics
Jonathan, who initiated the widely popular ‘Make Your Own Ceramic 3D Printer’ project, will present an overview of the current state of ceramic 3D printing and the use of digital techniques in studio ceramics and examine his own use of these innovative techniques. Her generates the shapes of his pots with computer code, a working process born out of an interest in the way code can mimic natural patterns and growth structures.
It was noted during a tutorial that a collection of fired elements could be 'displayed' in a column as a solution to issues in the making process of the ceramic core.
'Manos Kalamenios
Material is at the centre of my practice. My designs are the products of my experiments in materiality; for me clay is not a static material but a starting point - everything develops from the constant changes in mixture and method. I see myself as an alchemist, exploring material and mining new colours, shapes, and textures from the precise recalibration of formulas. It is, I think, this constant testing of material that stimulates my practice and gives my work its strength'
What is becoming increasingly apparent is the link that contemporary fine art ceramicists make to alchemy and terminology related to the earth and industry (mining, archaeology etc etc) coming to this process from the perspective of a painter having dealt with similar themes it is clear that there is a significant crossover despite material or process.
in addition to this exhibition, there was a show of work by alumni artists at Central St. Martins. People have obviously grappled with the making process of columns in similar ways to my own thought processes, but not necessarily the same themes.
In Order
Martin Mcwilliam
'In my most recent work - it is not the inner with which I occupied myself - but the core itself "the Shard". Prepared surfaces are struck off after the firing with a hammer and chisel to reveal an archaeological looking "core'
Eddie Curtis
please read separate blog post
Rebecca Appleby
'Exploring the palimpsest nature of structural decay, Rebecca’s sculptural ceramics examine contemporary urban archaeology through forms & textural investigations.'
