commentary
Estonian ceramist Annika has been
predominantly fascinated by sculptural large-scale design that
allows her to perform as both painter and sculptor. In her work
her means of expression are colour as wells from, and striking
contrast of different surfaces, The outcome is an expressive
work of art with powerful impact, as "Aqua" 1998(h 172cm), for
example, Being a contemporary artist, she loves freedom,
asymmetry and dynamics. On the other hand, balance is important
for her, just as important as movement. First she has to tame
the vigorous impetus within the form. At the same, time balance
and contrast must be established also between the smooth and the
rough, monochrome and coloured surfaces, between the prominent
parts of the work.
Annika Teder says that she likes kaleidoscope, the whirling
world of powerful and intense colours. Usually she applies a few
saturated accents together with many paler ones that constitute
shades of or complements to the former. Her technique is an
evolution of the classic neriage technique in the form of inlay,
based upon creation of figures and patterns in colored clay and
white porcelain pulp on clay slab. The first this technique like
"summer" 1992,"Cloud" 1992, bore a substantial amount of
contrast. Lately she has started to turn the clay more than
once, like puff paste, and then only the 4th or 5th rolling
appears to be pleasing. This type of processing usually provides
for more undertones, richer and more attractive
design-"Reflection" 1996. It is also interesting to note that
more compact and drier lumps of clay take more time to mix and
it is therefore possible to somewhat guide the process. In order
to get brighter shades of color, a relatively large amount of
pigment has to be mixed into clay; however, clay must not become
bubbly-consequently, an optimum ratio is needed.
For particularly intense and glowing colors, the artist mixes
up to 20% of pigment into white stoneware clay. It is well known
that the shades of blue, grey, yellow, green art easy to
produce, but also reds and pinks art often successfully created.
Annika Teder already withdrew from using glazes at the outset of
her creative activities in the 1980s. She started to look for a
possibility to produce coloured surface with no glaze. The
nerikomi technique was the suitable historical analogue here.
Traditional nerikomi is the same on the interior and exterior of
a vessel, but with large-scale design it seemed appropriate to
apply slip only on the outside that bears the picturesque
coloured layer of composition. Transparent glaze has been
lightly splashed on the outside surface where it contributes to
the feeling of elaboration.
|
