Clay imprinted with light and memory
- Claude’s ceramic practice is deeply connected to her work with Chinese ink
- The textures of her sculptures subtly highlight the clay’s grain
- She is inspired by black-and-white photography from her childhood
Claude Bernhard approaches ceramics as a form of research into material expression. “In each of my actions, I seek the beauty of the gesture, so that it may resonate into the future, like an invisible presence,” she says. Through her exploration of fine textures, subtle grains and pure forms, Claude reveals the very essence of clay. She first cultivated her fascination with clay while studying geochemistry at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at the University of Lausanne, initially focusing on its mineralogical properties and chemical interactions with water. "This scientific exploration gradually evolved into an artistic practice rooted in gesture and craftsmanship," Claude explains. Drawing on her technical know-how in ceramics, she seeks to express the fragile balance of opposing forces.
Interview
- What inspired you to pursue ceramics?
- Archaeology introduced me to ceramics. During my childhood, my father went on expeditions to document rock paintings in the Tassili and Hoggar regions of the Sahara. He used to bring me fragments of pottery, rocks and sand. I was fascinated by the idea of holding a fragment of history and a memory of ancient people in my hands.
- Did you learn your craft from a master?
- While my approach is rooted in personal research, it is enriched by artisans around the world. I discovered salt-fired stoneware and primitive firing techniques with the Remmy family in Alsace, potters for generations since 1594. In Rajasthan's Thar Desert, I studied traditional pottery and natural pigments. In China, I explored porcelain. Each encounter was deeply inspiring and enriching.
- Is the environment an important aspect of your practice?
- The environment is central to my approach, as I am fortunate to live in the mountains, amidst the power of glaciers, the whispers of forests and the untamed force of the wind. Nature has always been at the heart of my work, whether through my academic training in earth sciences, photographic expeditions in speleology or my daily sources of inspiration.
- What has been a defining moment in your journey?
- One of the pivotal moments in my practice was the day I decided to focus entirely on the artistic dimension of clay, and allow beauty to exist for its own sake. Freed from function or utility, my objects radiate through their very essence. In a way, it is a poetic act.
Claude Bernhard is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2009
Where
Claude Bernhard
