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  • Writer's pictureTLV BIENNALE

Shiver, 2019, Davka Studio


Photo: Hadar Saifan

What


Porcelain; slip casting, wheel thrown, underglazed

Who


Gili Ilan, b. 1988; Nadav Rauchwerger, b. 1989

Why



This work consists of a series of biconical porcelain vessels with sharp contours, painted in shades of blue, which are displayed in a row to create a gradient color scheme moving from dark to light. Their bodies feature an orderly pattern of incisions made with the "chattering" technique, which “injures” the vessels' walls with a sharp tool or a roulette, while utilizing the rotational movement of the potter's wheel.


The compatibility between form and surface blurs the boundaries between man and machine; between unique, conceptual and artistic products and industrial, functional ones; and between sudden, passionate actions and the endlessly meticulous practice of crafting objects.


“When the works are observed, they seem to merely represent the exploration of a technique, yet the nearly mechanical coloring and ornamentation have equal weight. Additionally, the ornamentation technique raises questions concerning the production process: did it involve digital media or a 3-D printer? A mechanically operated tool? Manual or automatic?


“By preserving this tension, the work brings together contemporary design, experimentation and tradition, so that viewers encounter something familiar with a new twist.”



Photo: Hadar Saifan


Where


On display at the Man and His Work Pavilion, Tel Aviv Biennale of Crafts & Design, MUZA – Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv.




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