RAW: In Dialogue with Clay is on view at Keramiekcentrum Tiendschuur, Tegelen
May 16 – September 28, 2025
Everywhere in the world where clay is extracted, it is different. Its composition, structure, and color are determined by various elements. In this exhibition, renowned ceramic artists from different countries showcase their work. The common thread is that they all work with pure clay. They seek to unravel the character of the clay by engaging in a dialogue with the material. How does the surface feel? Rough, soft, or grainy? This results in different tactile experiences—experiences that can be enhanced by scratching into the surface, piercing it, or smoothing it by polishing and sanding. The making process becomes visible. The firing process may create a natural glaze layer. Light is given free rein, making the form clearer. The origin of the clay also plays a role. The rawness offers openness, accessibility, and beauty. The clay speaks for itself and reveals its raw essence.
The sculptures of Cecil Kemperink (Netherlands) reflect her diverse background in art, dance, textiles, and fashion. She explores the concept of ‘space’ and the body, playing with rhythm, form, sound, movement, and energy. Inspired by the continuous motions in nature—such as the wind, tides, and breath—Cecil works with earthly clay in an instinctive and attentive manner, embracing time and energy.
Erik Haugsby (Austria) finds and digs up clay, sand, and stones. He crushes, presses, and stacks them together until totem-like figures emerge. The massive, unglazed objects carry the colours and textures of a chosen home, both inside and out.
For Bernadette Lefevere (Belgium), the creative process is always a dialogue between the dance of clay in her hands and observing the form that is being born. She leaves the clay exposed—unglazed, porous, and sensual. In her view, this is the best way to stay close to the silent, intimate life that expresses itself through the forms.
The work of Joël Marot (France) is characterized by his unconventional approach to the material. He creates sculptures by building them up with coils and slabs of clay. He uses raw or recycled clay from previous works with simple tools, such as a piece of wood. He describes working with raw clay as a tactile and sensual experience that allows him to merge with the form and feel its imperfections.
The “Figures” by Petra Bittl (Germany) resemble standing figures dressed in richly patterned garments. Some pieces form pairs that relate to each other in shape and color, while others represent families or individual objects. They are built using various stoneware bodies, with porcelain inlays that emphasize and divide the forms. The natural colors—ranging from rust red to anthracite and the broken white of the porcelain—create their own harmony.
Vilma Henkelman († 2023, Netherlands) engaged in a very physical ‘dialogue’ with clay. In the process of throwing and ‘distorting’ the forms, traces of handprints remained visibly present—as a tangible result of the contact she made with the clay, as soft as a human body. She left her work unglazed, using only a bit of slip—earthy and direct in its expression.
Contact
info@tiendschuur.net
Keramiekcentrum Tiendschuur
Kasteellaan 8, 5932 AG Tegelen
the Netherlands
Photos courtesy of the gallery
