METALLIC REFLECTIONS IN REDUCTION WITH SUGAR AND ALCOHOL IN ELECTRIC KILN

Workshop: 7-9 June, 2013
Exhibition: 2 August-15 September, 2013

For several years the Ceramics Workshop School in Argentona, which comes under the Cantir Museum, has been organising monographic courses on various ceramics tecniques. Some of them featured international-famous artists, such as Ánima Roos (Belgium) on porcelains, Jordi Berrocal (Catalonia) on ceramics serigraphy, Núria Soley (Catalonia) on jewelery techniques applied to ceramics and Alberto Andrés (Spain) on large format artworks.

With Saura Vignoli, international-famous artist from Faenza (Italy), we present a specific tecnique, almost unknown in Spain, which allows to obtain metallic reflections using sugar and alcohol in an electric kiln.

During three days the course participants had the chance of learning a new tecnique which opens up huge possibilities for their ceramics, given that it allows for really astounding results by employing cheap and easy-to-use means.

During the International Ceramics Fair, which takes place in Argentona from August 2 to September 15, the workshop is complemented by an exhibition of artworks by the Bottega Vignoli. A catalogue of the works presented here will be published.

Ivana and Saura Vignoli
Ivana and Saura Vignoli opened their ceramics workshop in 1976, after being awarded the Diploma in "Master of Art and Art Teaching" by the Institute for Ceramics Arts "Gaetano Ballardini in Faenza.
The stylistic research of the two Vignoli sisters stems from the great Renaissance tradition of the majolica or ceramics of Faenza (Italy), which spread across the Mediterranean through the influence of the Byzantine, Hispano-Arabic and Imperial Roman art.
The workshop's handcrafted production is based on the world of design, furniture and gift itmes. Its unrelenting expressive research taps to different languages, ranging from the collaboration with artists aimed at the creation of areas for sculptures to the "re-elaboration" of traditional shapes typical of other cultures, in an inspired blend of tecniques and styles.
The original firing techinique "of high fire reduction", used by the Vignoli sisters, allows for the creation of reflections on the glazed majolica at 940 º C. During the firing the fine metal oxides used for decoration settle on the surface, giving rise to an infinite shade of iridiscent colours which makes each artwork unique.
The decorative subjects range from historical representations to brand new patterns in line with the spirit of research which characterises the workshop.