When science meets art
- Milan's work combines art, craft and science
- He is fascinated by ceramic glazes and processes
- His work combines smooth shapes and crystal surfaces
Milan Pekař's slip cast porcelain vases balance function and artistry. Each handmade vase is one-of-a-kind, with delicate patterns, a unique structure and textures, and colours which change according to the light. Milan has spent countless hours and overcome many disasters to finally pin down a satisfactory formula for his work. This perfect combination of glaze and firing temperature results in spontaneous crystalline growth on the surface of his pieces, speeding up a process that in the natural world would take several thousand years. Milan's search for new colours has resulted in some unusual glazes, such as very rare metallic crystalline glazes inspired by ancient Islamic techniques.
Interview
- Why did you choose ceramics?
- I have been fascinated by soft clay and ceramics since childhood. I studied ceramics from the age of 16 and then specialised in it during my six years at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. I now teach ceramics there; I still enjoy it and learn new things.
- How do you create crystals in your work?
- Over the last ten years I have intensively tested ceramic glazes; I specialise in crystalline glazes where different types of crystals grow at high temperatures. By changing the firing temperature, or keeping it the same for hours, I can develop new glazes and new kinds of crystals.
- When is a piece of work 'well made'?
- Well made' means finding a balance between the craft and the concept behind the work. I strongly believe that you have to master your craft or a particular technique first. However, developing the concept is the driving force and has the same or even more importance for the final work.
- You also create ceramic furniture – why?
- The ceramic furniture collection is for me about the joy of creating from soft clay. The tubes are hand pressed using a very simple machine. I freely join them and bend their shape when they are still soft. The resulting objects straddle the border of functional furniture and sculpture.
Milan Pekař is a master artisan: he began his career in 2006 and he started teaching in 2011
Where
Milan Pekař
