A vase is not a vase – art

Selected ceramics and attractive mosaics: The Staufen Ceramic Museum presents in a workshop exhibition works by the artist living in Fricktal Mathies Schwarze and a larger mosaic show.

"Aesthetics in Vitrified Ceramics" shows the Staufen Ceramics Museum in a workshop exhibition.
What exactly does the title mean? The initial uncertainty gives way to growing insight, seeing Mathie's black ceramics in the home studio. Soon, it becomes clear: here we present his work, which – perhaps played coquetry – describes himself as a "potter", but reveals him as one of the greatest talents. Born in Krefeld in 1944, Schwarze began his studies at Krefeld School of Design and Design at the age of twenty. He then became master at Hubert Griemert in Höhr-Grenzhausen and then worked in various European ceramic studios in Great Britain. Germany and France and operates since 1997 his "pottery" in Oeschgen (Fricktal) and there since 2002 a school of ceramics. But this professional career gives an idea of ​​the "ceramic league" that he has set since the beginning.

By reading the titles of his 43 pieces, which he shows to Staufen, it becomes clear that he has nothing to do with what we commonly hear from a potter or a hafner. A small selection: "long-necked vase, pale yellow crystal glaze", "collar vase with collar, red ox / fire reduction", "small goblet vase, white with crack", "small small opening vase, white / porcelain". One thing becomes clear: a vase is not a vase. For black hands, it becomes unique, because these hands allow a formative virtuosity that can be called perfection. One could perhaps critically criticize that black people have a predilection for a too distinctive design, you see an "elongated neck", a "brown edge", a "small opening". But these objections erase the admirable completion of the formal conception.

A second is added: As an inventor of varnish, Schwarze is an imaginative perfectionist. He knows that it is his glazes that give the vases, bowls, buzzes their individuality, even perfection. It masters the "manipulation" of the shooting atmospheres, that it is to reduce in the gas oven or neutral in the electric oven; Here it is decided whether the red blood of beef or the crystal enamel succeed. And as this studio show shows, they always succeed without exception.

Parallel to this exhibition, the Museum of Ceramics presents "Magic Crystals" as thematic complement to the black "Vases". The exhibition organized by Flavia Figiel gives a glimpse of the variety of ceramic enamels, since the late nineteenth century, Art Nouveau invented crystal enamel, and ceramists have attempted to enamel. use, thanks to the new technique until now unproducible glazes. This has revolutionized the old craft fundamentally, and the exhibition now shows on select exhibitions what has been and is still achievable.

Discreet informative texts explain various glaze techniques such as tin oxide matting options or devitrification during cooling. crystallized icing "is presented as an example.Local visitors will be happy to meet names such as Richard Bampi and Horst Kerstan, and Hubert Griemert remembers that his student master Mathies Schwarze exhibits in the studio
[19659006] Keramikmuseum Staufen Mathies Schwarze "Aesthetics in pottery" (until August 19th) and "magic crystals" (until November 30th) From Wednesday to Saturday from 2pm to 5pm, Sunday from noon to 5 pm