Teacher and Student: 7 Projects from the Back to Matter Exhibition

Contents:

• "Element Number Two", "Element Number Three"
  "Pace 1", "Pace 2"
• Profession Uncertainty / "The Ringing of the Bell"
• Uncertain Labor / "The Sound of a Blazing Fire"

From July 19 to September 30, an exhibition entitled "Back to Matter." This project involved 14 artists working in ceramics and textile arts. The artists included both teachers and their students. Art historian Anastasia Zholudeva, who curated the exhibition, collected works that clearly demonstrate the connection between students and their mentors.

"Element Number Two", "Element Number Three"
"Temp 1", "Temp 2"

Yulia Klopova reports that Nastya brought the technique used in the works "Rhythm 1" and "Rhythm 2" from Poland, where she studied on an exchange program. In this process, she uses a medical syringe to gradually extrude porcelain mass "level by level." This is reminiscent of the work of a 3D printer, which also creates a form layer by layer. However, in this case, the result is not perfect, but has its own imperfections, which gives it special value. Nastya calls this technique "manual growth."

Nastya has always demonstrated excellent skills in the visual arts, but her sense of form sometimes left much to be desired. Nevertheless, significant professional growth is noticeable in recent works.

Professional Uncertainty / "The Ringing of the Bell"

Dmitry Ilyinsky noted that Sasha's diploma work, entitled "Bell Strike," was quite impressive. The focus is on sound, or more precisely, the process of transforming sound into matter. I especially like it when an artist translates one artistic language into another. This work also features a theme related to the work of a ceramicist. The circles in the composition reflect both the path of the bell and the movement of the object on the potter's wheel.

Sasha was likely inspired by the technique of assemblage, in which ceramic pieces are integrated into a work of art, becoming an integral part of it. However, during the process, she actively experimented with glazes. If I were in her place, I would prefer to leave the shard in its natural state, so that the shape would not be lost against the background color.

Uncertain Labor / "Sounds of Blazing Fire"

Dmitry Ilyinsky: Collaborating with Katya proved both intense and challenging. She has a clear, logical approach and strives for mathematical precision, while I am more intuitive and chaotic in my methods. Therefore, in order to establish a rapport with her, I had to focus and find a common language.

In her series of works entitled "Crackling Fire," Katya also transformed sound into visual forms, exploring elements such as bouncing sparks, the sounds of incandescence, and various rustling sounds. We discussed the firing process at length, and as a result, Katya chose "raku" for herself, although it was not the Japanese version, but the American one. In this method, firing takes place in a hermetically sealed barrel filled with sawdust, without access to oxygen from the outside. This method allows for the reduction of metals from their oxides, which gives the ceramic layers a characteristic metallic sheen on the surface.

Valentina Bykova, director of the Byl Contemporary Art Center:

Byl was founded with the goal of creating an informal environment for cultural endeavors and has largely inherited the spirit of the cinema, which has existed for almost 40 years. Previously, it served as a film screening space, and now it presents works of contemporary art.

The center is funded by local budget funds and grants, receiving support from organizations such as the Potanin Foundation, the Art, Science, and Sport Foundation, Metalloinvest, and several other partners.

We implement curatorial concepts of various scales: from archival exhibitions to long-term complex projects. Partners regularly bring us major exhibitions several times a year—from artistic research in the field of metal (especially relevant for our city of metallurgists) to projects encompassing contemporary approaches in ceramics and textiles. By the way, Stary Oskol is known for its clay toys, and such themes are certainly particularly close to our hearts.

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Read also:

• Playing with Fire: Japanese Wood-Firing Techniques in Remote Regions of Russia
• Beyond Khokhloma: Five Nizhny Novgorod Crafts Requiring a Fresh Approach.
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