Issue 1 : 2012 - The International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét

from the INTERNATIONAL
CERAMICS STUDIO
ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
CERAMICSNEWS
. . . keeping contact with the ceramic
community
First let me wish you all our best
wishes for a happy and creative
2012.
In this issue we are beginning a
new series featuring works from
the extensive ceramics collection
and also features on Hungarian
and international ceramists who
have worked in the studio over
the years. You have all helped to
make this centre truly
international and earn its
deserved international reputation
that we now enjoy. This issue we
feature works by Sergei Isupov.
We resume our focus on the
ceramic symposium - its history
in Hungary and its continuing
importance for international
ceramists.
The studio is pleased to welcome
back Masakazu Kusakabe again
this summer after his successful
kiln building workshop in 2011.
This year he is leading a three
week worshop to experiment with
glazes specially designed to
enhance the effects of this wood
firing, smokeless kiln. Places are
now available and details are on
our website.
Our Mastercourses are continuing
to prove popular and applications
have been steady. If you would
like to participate in any of these
courses, led by internationally
acknowledged artists, then please
email for an application form as
soon as possible.
with us then please email us for
further information and an
application form. We accept
applications at any time but to
ensure your preferred time slot
please apply as early as possible.
Many of you will have read the
recent articles about the
proposed changes at the studio.
We are pleased to tell you that the
studio is still open and its near
future is not in doubt. The
Contemporary Ceramics
Collection will continue to be
housed in the studio and open for
artists, participants and students
to study. On page nine there is a
report on the current status of the
studio.
If you are considering a residency
Wishing you all a
HAPPY and CREATIVE
new year
1
2012
ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
International Ceramics Studio
. . . the early days
“Already in the nineteen nineties
people all over Europe were
talking about contemporary
Hungarian ceramic artists as if
they were founding a new
school. So the ice is broken.
Scarcely a year went by in
which we were not able to reap
international or national acclaim.
With its systematically and
highly professional developed
conditions the studio more than
just assures the artists of
creative work”.
- Orban Katalin
image left: Experimental firing symposium. right: Maria Geszler
Working exchanges of local
ceramists with visiting artists are
bound to lead to new insights into
the process of creation and to
foster influences in a communal
spiritual energy. We always hope
this collaboration will further lead
to deeper mutual understanding
between cultures in the field of
contemporary ceramics.
In 1965 a new experience was
gained at the ceramic workshop in
Gmunden, Austria inspiring
ceramic artists who participated in
the event to give impulse to the
founding of symposia in many East
European countries. In 1966 the
Czech Symposium was founded at
Bechyne was founded and in 1969
the symposium at Siklos was
established in Hungary.
By the mid-seventies the desire for
all year round working facilities
were finally established in
Kecskemét with the opening of the
International Ceramics Studio.
Members of the 1985 working symposium
with their communal sculpture “The Gate of
Culture”. This piece still stands in the main
garden of the studio, a much photographed
icon.
standing:
Klari, János Probstner, Vaclav Serak (CZ),
Maria Geszler, Kis Ildiko, Jona
Gudvardardottir (IS), Delan Cookson (GB),
Kecskemeti Sándor, Grazina Plochica (PL),
Warren Mather (USA), Gerder Gruber (MX),
Fusz György
sitting:
Erzsébet Szücs, Toth Lajos, Korompai
Péter, Kadasi Éva, Benedek Olga, Nancy
Selvage (USA), Juta Rindina (LV), Rosario
Guillermo (MX), Hideo Matsumoto (JP)
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Our symposia continue to bring
together artists, many who have
never met, and allow an extended
exchange of ideas and philosophy.
Stretching our creative imagination
can lead us to appreciate the artistic
use of clay in dynamic new ways.
Some artists will make good work,
others will be less satisfied with
what they achieve but all will gain
something from the experience,
expanding their practice in terms of
materials, process and style.
ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
PAPERCLAY
Firing Fibres II
“I have been thinking recently about the
importance of working with ceramics and how,
time after time, I have been influenced by old
traditional techniques in the craft. I find it ironic
that I have found major influence in the
traditions of pit-firing, and recently the use of
paper clay.
Paper clay has many advantages for the
modern clay artist including; increased prefiring strength, reduction in warping, increased
joining capacity in both wet-to-wet joints and
dry-to-dry joining. Paper clay has made a
whole array of techniques available to me that I
could not have thought of even a year ago. Super thin building techniques, translucent
porcelain, and a very fast working style are all
of the opportunities I have experienced.”
Jerry Bennet, USA
images: Rosette Gault, Jerry Bennett
The 1st International Paperclay Symposium was held
at the ICS in August 2004. This international ceramic
workshop featured acknowledged masters using
paper and fibre clay from 13 countries.
This important gathering featured some of the
worlds leading paperclay artists. During the three
week symposium, workshop participants created new
works, shared information and learned new
techniques through the formal and informal
sessions, discussed the advances and developments
in this relatively new and expanding field of ceramics
through the series of slide shows and lectures from
all the participants.
Ceramic paperclays, a balanced blend of clay with
paper pulp, can be adapted for low, mid or high fire
kilns, oxidation, reduction, wood fire, electric, raku,
terra-cotta earthenware, stoneware, porcelain and
more. Unlike traditional clay, if your properly
balanced blend paperclay project cracks or breaks
while you are working with it, or after it hardens,
dries out, you get to repair and/or rebuild over your
project again, until satisfied. When fired the glazed
vitreous ceramic finish result is nearly impossible to
tell from a traditional piece.
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Paperclay, whether it is based from low fire
earthenware, high fire stoneware, raku, terracotta, or
ultra thin translucent porcelain, makes it possible
now to see forms that could never be accomplished
before. And it saves time for classic forms because it
does not have to be slow dried and is easier to
transport. It can be adapted to small or scale
projects such as murals and bas relief projects. It’s
now also possible to construct large substantial
looking sculptures that can be super light, but tough
enough to stand outdoors through seasons. Another
of its features is that a kiln fired finish is optional,
but not required, because the air set greenware is
nearly twice as strong as greenware of traditional
clay.
This year we are organising the second Firing Fibres
symposium. Building on the first event we hope to
see and investigate the developments and advances
in the artistic use of this material.
Participants are able to apply to work alongside
soem of the world’s leading paperclay artists
including Rosette Gault and Jerry Bennett. The
symposium dates are 6 - 27 September, 2012 and
more details are available on our website.
ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
Views on a ceramic symposium
. . . Jolante Lebednykiene
“Ceramic symposia are a valuable
event and an asset in three
respects. First, they show that
ceramic art is retaining its vitality.
Secondly, They allow for the
exchange of ideas and flights of
creative thought and conception.
And, finally, they widen the
spectrum of ceramics and pave a
way for broader and more
objective considerations. So, what
is so distinctive about a
symposium?
atmosphere that leaves no room
for monotony.
It is the only venue for a
gathering of professionals in a
working environment where art is
created. The event has clear-cut
goals, an open programme, a
potential for significant
discoveries and, finally, an
Working together provides a way
for sharing ideas and learning
about artistic standards and
philosophies from other countries
of the world. The resulting
influences will no doubt gain
importance in the future”.
Original and interesting artists
are invited to take part and
interact at the symposium. The
time spent among artists of
different ethnic and cultural
backgrounds provides an
opportunity to understand
principles and ideals, which is
impossible to achieve through
mass media or the written word.
Jolante Lebednykiene is Director of
the Panevezys City Art Gallery,
Lithuania and a member of the
International Academy of Ceramics.
Why artists in residence ?
Working alongside other professionals makes one
reconsider one’s own way of working and one’
own work, realising that there is much to explore
in the expression of one technique. To relate to
others working close by, spend time thinking
through one’s own ideas, and find new ways of
using the materials, highlighted the different
individual approaches. Towards the end of the
symposium we all had more understanding and
were able to select ways of using these
differences according to the concept of our work.
Janet Mansfield, Australia.
“To be pulled out of
my artistic isolation
and emerged in a
multicultural creative
effervescence is the
best gift one could
offer me.”
Theodora Chorafas,
Greece
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ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
SERGEI
ISUPOV
“I am a student of the universe and a
participant in the harmonic chaos of
contrasts and opposites: dark – light; male
– female; good – evil. Working instinctually
and using my observations, I create a new,
intimate universe that reveals the
relationships, connections and
contradictions as I perceive them.
For me, I find clay to be the most versatile
material and it is well suited to the
expression of my ideas. I consider my
sculptures to be a canvas for my
paintings. All the plastic, graphic and
painting elements of a piece function as
complementary parts of the work.”
Sergei Isupov comes from a creative
family. His mother, Nelli Isupova, is a folk
artist working in ceramics and his father,
Vladimir Isupov, and younger brother, Ilya,
are painters. All three are well known
artists in their home city of Kiev, Ukraine.
Ceramic artist Sergei Isupov received his
art education first from the Ukrainian State
Art School, Kiev and later at the Art
a new series featuring
international artists who
have worked at the
studio and created
important works to
enrich the
ICS CONTEMPORARY
CERAMICS
COLLECTION
Institute of Tallinn, Estonia where he was
awarded both a Bachelor of Arts and
Master of Fine Arts.
In 1992 Latvian professor and ceramic
artist Peteris Martinsons was working in
the ICS and one evening made a
presentation about the young artist
Isupov’s works. The following year Isupov
was invited as a participant in the East and
West Symposium. This first visit in 1993
saw his innovative works added to the
collection. Beautifully painted surfaces on
surrealistic, porcelain forms. Two of Sergei Isupov’s works from his first visit in 1993
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ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
Isupov's porcelain sculptures are
figurative, surreal, and often
autobiographical. The facial
expressions on each of the pieces
reveal individual character traits.
The heads, about 1 metre high,
also feature small, hand-painted
vignettes, as well as hidden
surrealist and dream-like vignettes
on the bottom of every piece.
In the winter of 2007/8 Sergei Isupov returned to the
ICS for a two month residency. During this visit he
created the first of the large works for his Androgyny
series.
So this is the truth: in building work, it’s a small
world. In life, it’s the same thing, only over a longer
period of time. And being in the studio is like being
God.
“Art builds me; I don’t build art. I see that each work
is a small world, yet once it’s done, it’s over. My
relationship with it is over, and I start a new work. I
have a relationship with the work only in the
process, which is made up of so many logical steps.
All artists are egocentric, because you yourself are
the artist, the director, the worker – everything.
Maybe this is not something that is popular to say,
yet it is my privilege to see the world this way.”
above:
Isupov working on his
piece for the ICS
collection and the
completed work.
right:
Sergei poses alongside
the largest piece of
Androgyny in the ICS
photography room. This
piece, along with three
other large heads were
shipped back to his
studio in USA for his 4th
solo show in the Ferrin
Gallery in August 2008
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ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
MÁRTA
NAGY
3rd INTERNATIONAL
TRIENNIAL OF
SILICATE ARTS
“Nagy’s work is characterized by the great
variety of topic choice. She starts with one
motif, works with it for a year or two, then
sets it aside in favor of a new topic, on
which she conducts intense experiments,
only to switch again a while later, or return
to an earlier theme, this time emphasizing
different relationships.
Her career resembles a multiple spiral, in
which the arcs are predictable to a certain
extent, yet often incur a change where it is
not apparent until after retrospective
analysis from several years’ distance how
the change fits organically into the system
as a whole.”
Sárkány József 2002
“…where everything is noisily crackling,
where rough emotions trundle rocks,
where only extreme rage of fiendish laugh
are awarded – to remain soft-spoken,
subtle, honest and – I dare say –
feminine is a brave engagement.”
In August 2011,
Hungarian ceramist
Márta Nagy was
awarded the 1st Prize in
this international
competition. Here three
contemporaries write
about her work.
“The earth has only a little color, the
subsoil is nearly frozen, water barely
seeps through the furrows… After the
boisterous vertical color-festivals, this
„horizontality” is Silence itself. A fine
document of an introspective, purified
artistic demeanor made wise.”
P. Szűcs Julianna 2004
Schrammel Imre 1990
“Snake in the garden”, 2009
1st prize, 3rd International Triennial of Silicate Arts, 2011
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ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
MASTER
CLASSES
2012
Our popular series of
short mastercourses
continues in 2012 with six
week long courses and
one three week summer
course.
Please visit our website
for full details and prices of
all our continuing education
courses. Costs for the short
courses are 150,000
Hungarian forints and
include accommodation in
single room, teaching, use
of equipment and the
materials.
www.icshu.org/programme.html
Sculptural throwing
Shozo Michikawa
9 - 15 May, 2012
Experience one of Japan's leading
and most innovative ceramic
artists in a five day master class.
Shozo is an excellent teacher and
and inspiring world class ceramic
artist. Shozo will be demonstrating
his unique process of cutting and
faceting work that is then
expanded on the wheel to produce
his dynamic sculptural forms. Each
student will have a wheel and will
be able to explore these new
techniques alongside Shozo.
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Wood ash effects in
Fast fire kilns
Markus Böhm
Creative throwing and
Soda glaze
Ruthanne Tudball
16 - 20 April, 2012
3 - 9 May, 2012
Fast fire wood kilns have their
advantages but also their
disadvantages, one being the
amount of wood ash build up in
the limited firing time. Markus will
teach methods to achieve the
effects of long firing ash deposits
on the ceramic surfaces of work
fired in the fast fire kiln.
For intermediate and advanced
throwers with basic knowledge of
the wheel. exercises which will
stretch and challenge your
approach to throwing and will offer
an opportunity to practice
stretching your imagination and
originality in your approach to
form and decoration. This will be
combined with soda vapour
glazing.
Figurative
mouldmaking
Ilona Romule
Paperclay techniques
for sculptors
Rosette Gault
21 - 27 June, 2012
29 August - 4 September, 2012
During this 5 day workshop, Ilona
Romule will demonstrate her stepby-step approach to design, model
and mould making, describing how
she transfers factory technology to
a studio environment to create
unique porcelain figures.
To gain expressive and technical
freedom, I created an optimum
balance of recycled paper pulp
(cellulose fiber) and clay that
allowed me to invent or rather
“realize” a system of non-linear
construction and mixtures that are
impossible with traditional ceramic
clay to be fired in kilns. I was first
to introduce these so called
“radical” and “revolutionary”
technical and expressive freedoms.
ICS CERAMICS NEWS, JANUARY 2012
Latest news on the future
of the ICS
Due to government changes
from the 1st January, 2012, the
responsibilities and financial
capabilities of county councils in
Hungary have changed.
(publishers of Forrás, a
literary, sociographic
and art journal), the
International Ceramics
Studio and the
International Studio of
Enamel Art are under a
joint financial
management.
That is why in September 2011
the General Assembly of BácsKiskun County amalgamated its
three, up to that time
independently operating art
institutions, each highly
recognised in their own fields,
into one single art organisation.
The operation of this newly
established organisation was
taken over by the City of
Kecskemét in December 2011.
These three respected
art organisations will
still enjoy independence in
defining their professional
activities ensuring the continued
future of the International
Ceramics Studio as a world
leading centre for ceramic art,
education and research.
artists and students to the
studio. The ICS continues its
commitment to initiate, teach,
preserve and disseminate
quality allowing artists to create,
grow and mature in a supportive
environment.
Within this new organisation the
Forrás Publishing House
We look forward to welcoming
new and returning resident
Please contact us as usual to
discuss our residencies, courses
and symposia.
the INTERNATIONAL CERAMICS STUDIO
. . . keeping contact with the ceramic community
ICS WEBSITE
www.icshu.org
MAILING LIST
If you would like to be added to our mailing list just email
icshu@hotmail.com
We do not pass on your information to anyone else.
EMAIL ICS
Steve Mattison
Residencies and International Contact
icshu@hotmail.com
Kormos Emese
Hungarian and exchange student contact
icshu@t-online.hu
International Ceramics Studio
H-6000 Kecskemét
Kápolna u11.
Hungary
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FACEBOOK
Photos and news are available on Facebook. Go to the link
below and click “like”.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-CeramicsStudio-Kecskemet-Hungary/111911072158918