The oldest known ceramic article in the world is a Venus figurine in Czech Republic, the Venus of Dolní Věstonice (Czech: Věstonická venuše), a ceramic statuette of a nude female figure dated to 29,000–25,000 BCE (Gravettian industry). It was found at the Paleolithic site Dolní Věstonice in the Moravian basin south of Brno, in the base of Děvín Mountain, 549 meters. In such a country, under the over decade influence of different oriental tea cultures, how the pottery teawares could look like nowadays?!
Čajomír Fest
Made from clay, burned in kilns at 700-1000 ℃, it is hard in texture with or without a glazed surface. Pottery is an important Neolithic invention in China, back to around 15000 years ago, pottery experiments were taken place, the oldest article was found in Wanquan county of Jiangxi province, it was a round bottom pot made in 6875±240 BCE.
Čajomír Fest
Wood-fired Kiln, “柴烧” Chai Kiln is an ancient method to fire potteries, wood as the main fuel of firing kiln, with the development of techniques, pottery articles should be covered by saggers 匣钵 during firing to avoid direct contacts with fire and ashes, in case of dropping ash marks or leaving fire traces on articles’ glazed surfaces. In Chinese ancient society, these marks or traces were unappreciated by the orthodox pottery standard and considered as flaws “瑕”.
Čajomír Fest
However, under the condition of the extremely successful modern ceramic and firing technology, a modern ceramic art creation “firing concept 烧制观” which is completely different from the traditional firewood aesthetics is prevalent.
Čajomír Fest
This modern firewood firing technology pursues the natural combination of wood, ash and clay. Contemporary Chai Kiln is reflected to a large extent in: products are no longer covered, which means the recognition of the “ills” generated in the burning process.
Čajomír Fest
The characteristics of Chai Kilm are that the ashes and flames produced by wood combustion enter the kiln directly, unlike the ordinary glaze water potteries, the falling ashes in the kiln naturally adhere to the bodies and form a natural glaze with warm glosses and rich layers under high temperature firing. The melted or unmelted wood ashes creat smooth or rough textures on surfaces, as well as the changes of various colors, traces of the fire. Unrepeatable and difficult to anticipate make Chai Kiln special.
Čajomír Fest
We visted two pottery artists, Ewilina and Damian at Ewilina’s studio in the forest, they entertained us with homemade pancakes and soup from local wild herbs. Their concept of pottery and nature, influence their works and give them spirits, pottery comes from nature, leaves a trace of beauty to nature.
Čajomír Fest
Many tea-rooms (“čajovna” in Czech) could be found in Prague, tea friends gather there for tea and share their tea art ideas, two places we have visited in this August, Moutain Tea and Meetea “čajovna”, both offer display cabinets to local pottery artists’ works.
Čajomír Fest
Čajomír Fest 2019 was an interesting local and international tea festival, people who like tea, tea culture and tea friends, don’t miss the Čajomír Fest 2020.
