Description

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Works of art of ceramic artist ALGIMANTAS PATAMSIS

Poetics of porcelain and crystalline glaze


Algimantas Patamsis’ works of art characterize for two distinct elements: distinctive shape of artwork and ornamentation of crystals grown on parti-colored surface. His shapes primarily distinguish by simplicity and consequent elegance.

It is a clayware thrown using a potter’s wheel, which has been used by potters back in the olden days – a hollow bottle or vase with a typically narrow mouth. Completeness and proportion of the shape is the author’s strength, a result of his handicraft and proficiency. Here a spectator can perhaps sense the influence of the Far East.

However, both the author and the spectator find glaze more engrossing – the artist can only see its final result when he has opened a kiln (usually on the next day). The artist says that by growing crystals in a glaze he aspires after the diversity in their size and the iridescence. These features make every piece of art unique.

For its beauty and sophistication, crystalline glaze is called the queen of all glazes. It is impossible to control the place and size of crystals, thus making every piece of art unique.

In her book Diane Creber, crystalline potter from Canada, states that crystalline glaze is much more than just a technical application of chemical recipes and temperature profiles in kilns. Crystalline glaze is the most sophisticated from all types of glaze.
The experts also say that this decoration technique requires strict rules based on technical wisdom and patient experimentation with materials, since in order to obtain different colors one must have knowledge of the properties of almost all metal oxides.

After porcelain has burnt at the temperature of 1350°C, in order to grow crystals, the artware must be kept in the kiln for 2–5 hours maintaining constant temperature of more than 1090°C.

The result is extremely attractive and imagination encouraging: crystals in different sizes and arrangements remind of snowflakes, violet blossoms, galaxies, nebulae. Therefore, a symbolism of the universe is also reflected in the titles: “Delta”, “Perseus”, “Cetus”, “Regorra”, “Eridanos”, etc.

Though, if looking from a distance, a combination of shape and glaze prevails in A. Patamsis’ works of art, eventually a spectator is captivated by crystals in the glaze. He explains that such crystal growing is an analogy of a pearl oyster. A listener still remains uncertain, but fascinated at the same time – whether looking at one flamboyant vessel or seeing the oases of vases and bottles – thrown, colored blends patterned with crystals. When you cannot find words anymore, then probably the muses utter through the artwork of the author.

Crystalline glaze is only used by a few hundreds of ceramic artists in the world. In Lithuania, Algimantas Patamsis is the only one.
Today such technique is not used by either ceramic artist in Poland, Latvia, and Estonia. Russia and Belarus do not have such artists either.

A. Patamsis, who started participating in the exhibitions since 1980 and who has already introduced his unique masterpieces to the art experts both in Lithuania and abroad, today is rated as one of the best connoisseurs of ceramic technologies and a distinctive artist. In 2005, ceramic artist participated in the first international exhibition of crystalline glazes “Crystallines 2005”, which took place in Vallauris, France, in 2013 – in the international conference on crystalline glazes “Cristalls 2013”, which took place in La Bisbal d’Emporada, Spain.