CERAMICS

An art of fire

Ceramics is a know-how applied with soil and more specifically clay. After modelling in the clay, it is baked in high temperature, up to a thousand degrees Celsius. This know-how is also called “Art of Fire” or also the speciality of the transformation of mineral material with heat. Considering this definition, the glass and the enamels are a part of this speciality. But, ceramics is century-old. It is older than glass or metal.

The nature of the ceramic objects depend on the baking and its variation of temperatures. It will become faïence, sandstone or porcelain. This baking will induce irreversible transformations of soil and will give it new attributes such as solidity, waterproofness or isolation. The porcelain is recognizable with its transparency and translucency.  The faïence is bright. Finally, the sandstone is a waterproof raw soil.

The ceramist

The ceramist is a craftsman that master the know-how of ceramics. It master this material from the modelling to the baking. The realisation of the pieces is composed of several steps. In fact, the craftsman has to shape the material. Then comes the drying step, the decoration of the piece, and finally the baking step.

According to the steps of creation, several specialities are existing in this trade. Each craftsman can be a professional specialized in one of these: the ceramic turning, the moulding, etc. Grégoire Scalabre is a contemporary ceramic sculptor and realises pieces with the turning technique.

Silver Sentimenti, laureates 2022, works with ceramics in a different way. He creates unique sculptural and decorative pieces he sews with leather lashes.

Decorative objects and lighting in porcelain are the speciality of Sylvain Fezzoli, a ceramist supported by the Foundation in 2023. Each creation, unique in its design and decorative elements, reflects the work of the craftsman, who shapes the material with lines evocative of nature and the seabed.