Martha Pachon Rodriguez

Porcelain maker | Fognano, Italy

Recommended by

Fondazione Cologni Dei Mestieri D'Arte

The human side of porcelain

Martha is originally from Colombia
She makes sculptural series, installations and jewellery
Many of her creations are assembled from lots of single crafted pieces

Martha Pachon Rodriguez is a porcelain artist originally from Colombia. She was initiated to art and craftsmanship by her father who, for Christmas, instead of giving her dolls, used to give her craft materials to enhance her creativity and her manual skills. She trained as an art teacher and her final thesis, focusing on porcelain, was selected by the Bank of Colombia for display. Martha first came to Italy to study the local ceramic culture and cultivate her skills, but circumstances led her to stay since her work caught the interest of many local institutions. Currently, her practice is divided between three lines of work: sculptures, installations and a precious production of porcelain jewellery. Recently, she opened MPR STUDIO, where artisans from other sectors – embroiderers, light designers, woodworkers, goldsmiths – share a creative space and collaborate on large projects.

Interview

©Martha Pachon

What led from ceramics to porcelain?: Porcelain is more expensive but the results are more refined. You can work with colour, with transparencies, and take inspiration from all kinds of cultures. I combine exquisite traditional Asian techniques with elements of Caribbean culture.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?: My sculptures usually combine erotic elements with nature. My installations stem from ethnographic research and are enriched with art references. As for my jewellery pieces, I focus on the process of creating.
Which artists inspire you the most?: I am captivated by Italian sculptures from the 1960s and 1970s, for instance Nino Caruso – not just by their work but also by the passion put into it. I also find a lot of inspiration from the work of artists from the Italian Renaissance, in particular Giotto.
Could you describe one memorable piece of work?: My sculptural series Impudic Laces was inspired by the stories of the elder women of Fognano. After the war, in order to make money, they journeyed to Florence to sell the laces they made. Travelling by train to a big city and becoming financially independent marked the rest of their lives.

Martha Pachon Rodriguez is a master artisan: she began her career in 1989 and she started teaching in 1994