Sanjar Kubaev
Ceramicist
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The brilliance of high fired ceramics
- Sanjar's self-taught practice is driven by a fascination with clay
- His work chases the raw alchemy of the kiln
- He pays close attention to the surfaces of his pieces
A fourth-generation veterinarian raised on an Uzbek poultry farm, Sanjar Kubaev's detour into clay began with a mechanical necessity. "I needed highly specific, unadorned pots for my bonsai trees," he says. By 2023, his practical problem became an obsession with raw physical matter. With no formal art education, Sanjar operates Sunjar Studio with the clinical precision of a laboratory. His process relies on relentless repetition on the wheel and strict technical observation. Sanjar hunts the absolute threshold of his materials, using intense kiln temperatures to force a brutal, honest dialogue between human discipline and raw earth.
INTERVIEW
I discovered ceramics while searching for suitable pots for my bonsai trees. Making them myself quickly became an obsession. The moment I realised clay could become a lifelong practice, I left my previous profession and dedicated myself entirely to ceramics.
My Paleo series bypasses decorative glaze to let raw clay, slate and feldspar react naturally in the kiln. The process reveals unexpected geological surfaces, resulting in a piece that sits between creation and a weathered rock unearthed from nature.
Ceramics demand absolute humility. The moment it senses arrogance, the material violently corrects hubris at the cost of time and labour. Clay forces a quiet, constant state of listening, proving that even those who constantly work with the material cannot fully master it.
I hope to move my workshop into the countryside and work with gas and wood firing, using entirely local materials. More than anything, I want to create objects that surprise even fellow ceramicists and leave behind something truly meaningful.
Sanjar Kubaev
Ceramicist
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Uzbek, English
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