The two work periods which Guy spent in Sanbao, China have had a great influence on his artistry. The second period occurred at the start of his sabbatical year. This coming exhibition shows the results of his focus on ceramics: brand-new work in white porcelain.
As a mathematician, Guy is interested in patterns: he wants to learn to understand the architecture of nature, not by thinking, but by doing. He makes his bowls in an intuitive manner: small strands of porcelain are applied by hand to a balloon and the porcelain is ‘pushed out’ with a small piece of wood. It is a slow process; he calls it almost meditative work, in which the mind is turned off. One bowl leads to another.
The patterns, which consist of organic lines and spaces, form the surface of the bowl, the backbone. When the bowls are turned upside down and wood-fired, the porcelain melts somewhat at the top temperature of 1280 ℃ and the bowl expands. The structure of the porcelain strands helps determine how the bowl distorts.
Due to the thin translucent wall of the bowls, the pattern on the exterior is also visible on the interior, giving a stunning effect, particularly in daylight. In addition to entirely new patterns, Guy has also been able to enact a size transformation: there are a few beautiful larger bowls to be seen as well
Galerie Terra Delft
Etty Walda
Solo exhibition of Guy Van Leemput with new porcelain objects from the woodkiln. A new catalogue of his, about the origin of things, will be launched.
The March/April 2017 issue of the German magazine New Ceramics contains an article of Guy van Leemput.
