Australian Ceramics of the 80s
THE CERAMIC ART has not a long indigenous tradition in Australia as the aboriginales did not practice this art and practically the only traces of their output are rock paintings. The initial period of colonization did not bring anything new in this field but as time went on, around the mid-19th century, trained potters would appear more and more frequently and small ceramic workshops were opened, though filling exclusively utility functions. It was only at the turn of the century that ceramic production gained momentum and began to answer also the prestige and aesthetic needs of the public. Among the variety of styles, techniques, materials (including porcelain) and glazes, reflecting the complexity of international trends of period, also an anti-import tendency came to the surface, accompanied by attempts to assert national identity by producing articles now highly valued in ceramic collections. The development of art education leading to a system of colleges functioning in every state, created the basis for a comprehensive art movement, with a good deal of space allotted to the ceramic art.
Contemporary ceramic Australian art of the 1980s reveals a variety of trends and influences. The strongest was that of the classical European ceramics, making use of painterly glazes and balanced shapes, far from all eccentricity, and the Japanese influence radiating from Tokyo, a powerful nearby centre. The effect of those is noticeable in the styles and even more in the refined sober floral motifs and sophisticated nuances of glazes. Other trends reflected in the ceramic art are pop art, conceptualism and the revival of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The most interesting and aesthetically significant trend, however, is the creative urge to draw from native motifs; hence the absence of glaze and stress on the plastic quality of naturally coloured (mainly bright red) or dyed clay; where glaze is used, it is mat, while the shape of vessels is refined but discreet. The intense colour scheme and the specific qualities of Australian clay provide a fascinating and so far not fully penetrated area of artistic research. This trend also embraces the attempts to render the local flora and fauna in ceramics, frequently undertaken throughout the 20th century.
Contemporary ceramic Australian art of the 1980s reveals a variety of trends and influences. The strongest was that of the classical European ceramics, making use of painterly glazes and balanced shapes, far from all eccentricity, and the Japanese influence radiating from Tokyo, a powerful nearby centre. The effect of those is noticeable in the styles and even more in the refined sober floral motifs and sophisticated nuances of glazes. Other trends reflected in the ceramic art are pop art, conceptualism and the revival of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The most interesting and aesthetically significant trend, however, is the creative urge to draw from native motifs; hence the absence of glaze and stress on the plastic quality of naturally coloured (mainly bright red) or dyed clay; where glaze is used, it is mat, while the shape of vessels is refined but discreet. The intense colour scheme and the specific qualities of Australian clay provide a fascinating and so far not fully penetrated area of artistic research. This trend also embraces the attempts to render the local flora and fauna in ceramics, frequently undertaken throughout the 20th century.
fantastico!
ReplyDeletefantastico!
ReplyDelete