Contemplation on ceramics
- Jérôme favours close contact with clay, rather than the lathe, to make his objects
- His ceramic pieces are intended to be functional and timeless
- Slowness is a key value of his approach
Jérôme Hirson turned to ceramics by chance in 2008 when he discovered the work of ceramicist Dauphine Scalbert, whose creations instantly captivated him. "There was such strength in her work, such truth. Without ever having touched clay, it inspired me to pursue this craft," he says. Having just left his job in the car industry, Jérôme went to train with Dauphine for a year in her workshop. “It was a rich and intense experience,” he recalls. Since 2010, Jérôme has been exploring his own practice in his studio. The modelling techniques, especially coiling and pinching, resonate with him particularly strongly, because of the close contact they provide with the clay. His ceramic pieces are defined by clean lines and deliberately imperfect surfaces.
Interview
- What is your background?
- I have had a rather chaotic path. I never felt I belonged in the education system so I worked from quite early on. A trainee once asked me: "Do you not regret starting ceramics at the age of 37?" I replied, "It is my past life that has enabled me to develop and put my personality into my work. Had I arrived at it sooner, I may not have had this sensitivity and attachment to ceramics."
- How was it to set up your workshop and develop your own style?
- After a few months working on the wheel, I was left dissatisfied and frustrated. It was thanks to modelling that I came out of this period of doubt, rediscovering the raw pleasure of contact with clay.
- What inspires your creations?
- It is an accumulation of things like geological strata that is my inspiration and fuel. Memories of childhood and adolescence. Memories of industrial and urban landscapes. Memories of the simplicity of country life.
- What are your specific skills?
- The chamotte clays I use give grain to my pottery. Clays loaded with iron and manganese rise up and colour a transparent glaze. The thickness of the glaze allows me to vary the way it catches the light: a thin layer produces matte, grainy surfaces, while a thicker application produces shiny surfaces with the occasional drop.
Jérôme Hirson is a master artisan: he began his career in 2008 and he started teaching in 2016
Where
Jérôme Hirson
