Rūta Indriūnaitė

Rutrut

Ceramicist

©Augis Narmontas

©Andrejus Vasilenko

Deconstructing nature

Rūta enjoys surprises and experimentation
Her works reflect the time she puts into them
Every work has to be unique, authentic, original

The ceramic works of Rūta Indriūnaitė (aka Rutrut) balance art and design. Each of her vases is unique, moulded and carved by hand. In a fast-paced world where many choose low quality mass production, she challenges herself to create objects without an expiry date. She studies nature and analyses the structures within it, stylising them to create designs for her works. Rūta doesn't like working fast; she likes to emphasise the time she invests in her works. Her creation process is a balance between creativity and technical artistry; she is very critical of herself and doesn't tolerate technical mistakes, yet she loves to experiment.

Interview

©Andrejus Vasilenko

©Andrejus Vasilenko

When did you choose ceramics?: I made my final decision in the last year of high school. I couldn't imagine what else I could do. Later, I pursued studies at the Vilnius Art Academy. I have been a ceramicist for two decades now.
What drew you to the craft?: Ceramics surprised me with its endless creative possibilities, its choice of materials, and the kind of mysticism it presents while watching the material change as it travels through all four elements: earth, air, fire, water.
What inspires your work?: My inspiration is nature, more specifically, the world of plants. I enjoy analysing their shapes, deconstructing them and then incorporating that into my work. For example, my vases were inspired by pitchers and sunflowers after the bloom, when you can observe a wonderful circular pattern.
What do you like most about your profession?: I cherish the moment when I'm waiting for my creations to cool in the furnace. Ceramics is a field which consists of individual steps, each with their own specific cycles. The result of each cycle is not always visible beforehand, so it is impossible to foresee and plan.

Rūta Indriūnaitė is a master artisan: she began her career in 2012 and she started teaching in 2014