Bernardita Cossio

Challenging expectations of porcelain

• Bernardita is a ceramicist by trade and a designer by profession
• Her creations integrate her expertise in fashion, sewing and ceramics
• She uses innovative techniques such as casting porcelain in leather moulds

With a degree in design from the Catholic University of Chile and a diploma in art history, Bernardita Cossio worked for over a decade as an art director on fashion campaigns. She then realised her primary interest lay in experimenting with innovative concepts that combine art, science and craft, and pursued her passion for ceramics. In 2018, she established her atelier, Casa Alonso, where she could freely dedicate herself to experimental work. Every day, Dita turns her studio into a laboratory, testing the humidity, temperature and gravity of her pieces until she achieves the desired results. Her creations, whether geometric, organic or more sensual, are born from her exploration of shapes, volumes, and physical tensions. She sees her body of work as an opportunity to introduce new manufacturing techniques, redefining the boundaries of traditional ceramics.

Interview

©sebastianmejiaphoto

©sebastianmejiaphoto

When and how did you start working with ceramics?

The first time I cast a piece in a fabric mould, I was delighted with the final object. Although it was imperfect, its textures and folds captivated me, and I realised that I had found a path that I wanted to continue investigating.

What do you consider are your essential skills?

What stands out most about my work is my ability for perseverance. Working with unconventional variables, I constantly face situations that do not turn out as I had planned, and the only thing left for me to do is to redo them again and again.

What are your sources of inspiration?

My inspiration comes mainly from fashion, architecture and design, especially when combined creatively. Throughout my life, and because of my parents’ work, I have travelled and lived in many places. I believe my work is linked more to a sense of adventure and exploration than to Chile specifically.

How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?

I work with a traditional and millenary material but innovatively. Through a combination of crafts, I make porcelain sculptures poured in handmade leather moulds. In this way, I turn my workshop into a laboratory where I test the humidity, temperature and gravity of my pieces until I achieve the right alchemy.

Bernardita Cossio is a rising star: she began her career in 2017

Works

©sebastianmejiaphoto

©sebastianmejiaphoto

©sebastianmejiaphoto

©sebastianmejiaphoto

©sebastianmejiaphoto

Where