Fired Earth, Unearthed

Ceramic art has been experiencing a new renaissance in the past decade. The use of clay as a medium is an ancient practice imbued with diverse history, constantly evolving throughout the centuries. In our digital age, interest in the medium has skyrocketed like never before, partly due to renewed and growing respect for crafts, a result of enlightened “slow living”: deeper appreciation for the home made, the home grown and the hand crafted.

The charm of studio ceramics resides in the uniqueness of each piece, its exact outcome often dictated upon by chemical reactions from heat, oxides, glazes and how human hands shape them. There are endless possibilities with the medium, and artists continue to explore techniques with passion and obsession, discovering methods that best communicate their concepts. The challenges of a certain level of unpredictability lead to happy surprises contained within the quiet beauty of imperfection. There is irresistible mystery when bringing out the character of the clay. Ceramic artists describe their process as a transformative journey—the ritual and repetition are calming and restorative, while problem-solving builds patience, humility and maturity in emotional response. They possess the adventurous spirit to reinterpret and subvert traditional methods as a mark of individuality. Rigorous technical knowledge is a tool that provides them more freedom in using an intuitive approach requiring spontaneity and improvisation. Clay has the capacity for infinite expressions.

Headlining the show is Ma. Rita B. Gudiño, founder of the UPCFA Ceramics Studio (2008) where she continues to direct and develop its programs. Her magnum opus, “Lual” a kiln art that associates clay firing as a metaphor for birthing, is considered a first in Philippine art history and has received recognition in the international field of ceramic arts. She was invited to rebuild and fire “Lual” at the International Ceramics Festival in Wales (2015), where it was considered the festival highlight for its spectacular performance firing. Her “Mebuyan” sculptural fountain (2017) is a permanent collection of the university, located at the UP Lagoon. Gudiño’s sculptures are often drawn from nature and life experiences, exploring a range of firing techniques and different types of glazing.

The exhibition also features three sculptural vessels by multidisciplinary artist Alan Cabalfin, a protégée of ceramics master Nelfa Querbin. He was the first Filipino admitted to the prestigious Tokoname workshop in Japan. Cabalfin is also a watercolorist and a filmmaker. He spends 6 months in the United States where he shares work with the Blue Ridge Potters Guild, and 6 months in his native Iloilo where he conducts workshops for other potters in his community.

One special piece is by US-based Filipino-American artist Hadrian Mendoza. Mendoza has exhibited both in the Philippines and the US and is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (Geneva). He is a Professor of Fine Arts at Marymount University and at George Washington University’s Corcoran School of Art and Design. He is also an educator at St. Thomas More Cathedral School and the Workhouse Arts Center. In 2009, Mendoza founded SEA Pots: Contemporary Southeast Asia Ceramics and in 2003, co-founded PUTIK: Philippine Potters’ Association. He has had solo exhibitions in Washington DC, New York and Virginia, and in the Philippines at the Ayala Museum, Galleria Duemila, Pinto Museum and BenCab Museum. He has participated in group exhibitions all over the world and is a recipient of several awards and grants in the field of ceramics.

Stephanie Frondoso

Fired Earth, Unhearted is on view from January 30, 2021 – February 20, 2021. 

To schedule a private viewing, send us an email at info@modeka.space or contact us at 0956 174 9185.

Explore the exhibition online on EXPERIENCES