BACK TO BLACK: the reinvention of traditional Greek pottery

10
Contributors
‘I was inspired by the
natural, flowing lines
of Greek ceramics, both
classic and contemporary’
Read more about our cover
illustrations and the full
interview with Peter Scott
at globalblue.com/covers.
Sally McIlhone
As SHOP’s managing editor,
Sally McIlhone is in touch with
leading brands, designers and
writers around the world to
ensure she stays on top of the
latest developments in style and
design. Sally has written for
various publications, including
ShortList, Stylist and FHM in
the UK.
globalblue.com
PHOTO: KaTie WilsOn ell
PHOTO: Brad ClarKe PHOTOgraPHy
illUsTraTiOn: PaTriCKgeOrge
PatrickGeorge
Peter Scott of the PatrickGeorge
studio created the cover
illustration for this season’s Athens
& Thessaloniki edition of SHOP
magazine, inspired by our feature
on ceramics on page 28.
Hannah Lewis
Hannah Lewis, assistant fashion
and news editor at SHOP, read
English literature and language
at the University of Oxford before
going on to study for an MA in
journalism at the London College
of Fashion. She has worked for
Time Out in the Middle East and,
more recently, has produced her
own magazine.
28 | F E AT U R E S
A FRAGMENT
OF HISTORY
Greek ceramicists are rediscovering
ancient techniques and producing faithful
replicas of pottery that dates back centuries.
Sally McIlhone steps back in time
60 /
63
Above: Atic Black tableware
S H O P | 29
Greece is internationally known
for its ancient ceramic heritage.
Traditional Grecian urns remain
one of the most evocative archaeological artefacts, shedding light on
life in ancient Greece. Today, most
ancient Greek pottery is housed
in museums around the world;
yet a small number of dedicated
ceramicists keep the country’s
national craft alive, with many
paying tribute to traditional tech-
niques while creating souvenirs
for a modern clientele.
The Attic Black Shop, run by
chemist and archaeological scientist Eleni Aloupi, resurrects the
techniques used to make classical
Attic pottery in the fifth and sixth
centuries BC. After the traditional
manufacturing skills were lost over
centuries, many famous ceramicists, including British manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood, attempted
to reproduce the traditional Attic
black glaze – all were unsuccessful.
It wasn’t until 1993 that Aloupi
discovered the complex processes
and specific materials needed
to recreate the Attic black finish.
The production of Attic black
glaze relies on a process known
as the iron-reduction technique,
a complicated method of processing, painting and firing carefully
selected red clays. Aloupi’s team
members are rigorously trained in
order to ensure the high quality of
the Attic black products they make.
‘The details of the firing cycle
are just one aspect of the training,’
she explains. ‘Another equally important aspect relates to the preparation of “clay paint” [a finishing
material made from clay rather
than a conventional paint] from
appropriate clay sources. This can
only be done in house as we do not
use any modern chemicals in order to achieve the right conditions,
grain size, concentration and consistency. Another skill they must
learn is the preparation of the vase
surface prior to decoration.’ Finally, the vase painters have to learn
to use the correct number and
30 | F E AT U R E S
Aloupi believes Attic black pottery has endured in popularity in
the same way it has endured over
time. ‘Attic black has captured the
imagination of collectors and ceramists ever since it was rediscovered
in Etruria in the 17th and 18th centuries, where it had been imported
from Attica during the fifth and
Reinterpretations
made using ancient
techniques are far
more affordable
than antiques
sequence of “paint” coats to achieve
the desired result.
The Attic Black Shop craftspeople – the majority of whom
are women – take great pains to
ensure that traditional processes
are adhered to, so the brand can
market its products as ‘technologically authentic’. One of the key
selling points of Attic Black Shop
products are that they are identical to those made in ancient times.
An original large Attic black mug
dating back to around the fifth century BC could cost over $4,500 –
the figure reached for such a product at Bonhams auction house in
London in 2010. Aloupi’s reinterpretations are much more afordable, yet use exactly the same techniques to the same high standard
and finish. As a result Attic black
pottery continues to thrive.
Above: an artisan works on Atic Black potery
sixth centuries BC. The ancient
vases emerged in pristine condition
following over 20 centuries of burial. In this sense Attic black is a precious material because it survives
environmental stresses.’ Her latest
project is to apply traditional Attic black methods to contemporary
jewellery, to ensure these ancient
ceramics techniques live on. ‘At
the moment we are working with
a well-known jewellery designer to
produce modern jewellery inspired
from ancient designs,’ she explains.
‘We feel that the precious aspect of
the Attic black glaze can integrate
well with jewellery design.’
Nikos Tsoupakis, owner of the
Tanagrea store in Athens, has been
showcasing handmade Greek ceramics, along with a host of other
souvenirs, since 1960. The pottery items in his store display a