Stathis Dimitriadis
Ceramicist
London, United Kingdom
Thinking through clay
- Stathis brings clay into dialogue with poetry and metaphor
- His sculptural pieces question function in unusual and playful ways
- He sees his practice as the result of a collaboration with his materials
At the crossroads of craft, poetry and art, Stathis Dimitriadis makes ceramic works that invite metaphorical readings. He first discovered ceramics in Athens, where he trained under a master artisan, and has lived in England since 2004, expanding his practice via a wide range of courses. Stathis' sculptures combine wheel-thrown elements and found objects, as well as fragments of text. Through his work, he questions the function of the object. He is also drawn to language in its raw, unpolished form, focusing on how it leaves space for interpretation. “I am trying to bring a physical experience into our way of thinking through ceramics,” he says. By combining materials and ideas in a playful and deliberate way, Stathis’ practice moves between form and meaning.
INTERVIEW
It often begins with language and text, perhaps something I read or a metaphor that stays with me. At other times, the process starts with form. I work a lot with the shape of the jar or pot, which I see as a metaphor for the body. I draw and sketch a lot. It is the easiest way for me to keep track of ideas and thoughts. The making process often starts with wheel throwing.
Yes, I truly believe teaching is a noble profession. People are inspired through it. Teachers and mentors are the kind of people who give you that initial spark, and then you move forward on your own path. I hope to inspire others in the same way.
My mentor in Athens, Michalis Sklavenas, is a ceramicist from a long line of potters from Sifnos. He inspired in me a respect for tradition, as well as the use of the wheel as a central part of my process. The Japanese ceramic artist Shozo Michikawa also shaped my approach to finishing, and introduced me to the idea of doing less rather than more. From him I learned that it is possible to stop the process and leave the story untold, becoming more of a collaborator with the material.
Yes, I do. I do not believe we are artists if we do not have something to communicate. That said, I do not try to define a specific message. I see the art more as an experience, one that people encounter and interpret in their own words. As an artist, you share your story, and it is then up to others to find something of themselves in it.
Bamboozle-Silk-and-Bamboo_©Jennifer-Shellard.jpg)
IMG_0535-copy_©Jennifer-Shellard.jpg)
IMG_1684-copy_©Jennifer-Shellard.jpg)
 SAW_091124_034_©Scott Wishart.jpg)
 SAW_020225_206_©Scott Wishart.jpg)
HelenRondell8_©Scott Wishart.jpg)
