IKSIT 2005
10.-24. July at school BAKIP Mühlauer Brücke
exhibitions:
19.-23.July at Foyer-Imperial Castle
22.-23. July at Gallery Nothburga
PARTICIPANTS:
Franz Josef Altenburg / A
Giovanni Cimmatti/ I
Annamaria Gelmi / I
Roberto Gagliano / A
Ilja Holesovsky / SK
Satoru Hoshino / J
Elisabeth Melkonyan / A
Katsunori Nakashima / J
Gabriela Nepo-Stieldorf / A
Vera Noskova / RUS
Ekaterina Ominina / RUS
Günter Praschak / A
Boris Roce / HR
Imre Schrammel / H
Masamichi Yoshikawa / J
THOUGHTS
The two subjects of "ceramics" and "symposium" appear to me as two infants, who are now given the breast, now laid aside and rejected. This fact is closely connected to the perceived value given to "clay arts" in the various regions of our world.
In Europe, the significance of ceramics within fine art has begun to slide ever further into the sidelines since the end of the 20th century – after a few high points such as historicism, art nouveau and the arts and crafts movement, art deco, and the era of change following the collapse of 1945. This phenomenon is also reaching virulence in other regions of western cultural influence, but with a slight delay. In the asian hemisphere, its esteem is being destroyed through fundamental political upheavals, only Japan can be seen as an exception, because of its clinging to traditions. This exception however takes place within the realm of fixed rules for traditional pottery. The area of younger ceramics, oriented more towards the west, is only slowly gaining ground.
It is a delight to find so many of the participants among members of the IAC – the International Academy of Ceramics, a world-wide organisation related to UNESCO, representing ceramicists with a sound foundation, and also Museum workers, editors of specialist literature, representatives of educational institutions, and important collectors.
New contacts can be made, and existing ones refreshed. There will be an interesting flow of information about the situation of ceramic art, will bring clarity on the one hand, but also new confusions on the other, and thereby
Even though I could grow pessimistic about the messages I receive from the world of ceramics, particularly where the views of educational institutions in many countries are concerned, the positive view for the future is far more important – I have repeatedly seen that the "earthen arts" can be compared to a phoenix, which rises from the ashes time and time again.
Günter Praschak
( Em. Professor of University of Linz for Art, ceramic departement)
Exhibition in the Imperial Castle
Opening ceremony with MR Riedl from ministry und majoress Hilde Zach
Trip to castle Ambras
Article in New Ceramic September-Oktober 2005
INTERNATIONAL CERAMICS SYMPOSIUM
INNSBRUCK – Tyrol 2005
Innsbruck, that old cultural city amidst the most beautiful scenery, located in the middle of Europe, was the site of an international encounter with artistic dialogue.
Since Tyrol does not have a university for the fine or applied arts, the commitment of local artists in establishing encounters with colleagues from other cultural regions is doubly important, to prevent isolation from impairing vital developments in art - and thereby a critical and constructive contribution to the development of society. Intensive dialogue with other artists within a symposium forces the participants to examine their own position in a crical light, to define themselves, to filter out the essenes of their own work in order to develop further.
This symposium, in its position within the "Japan – EU Year 2005" underlines the importance of ceramics within worldwide culture. Ceramic art, being one of the most ancient and most ubiquitous materials with which humanity has developed its creative potential, and essential to the studyof human history, is nevertheless regarded as a poor relation to the fine arts in many countries. Particularly in this phase of time, however, where most information is gained second hand and two-dimensionally on a screen, the awareness and use of its tactile qualities beomes ever more important.
The enlargement of Europe facilitated the composition of the symposium's participants by looking eastwards.
"Now Europe has become whole again and we should weave its divergent strands together again. The Symposium in Innsbruck offers good chances to discuss problems within contemporary cultural awareness. This is important, because western critics only know about western art. In our part of the world, the same specialists were deeply influenced by an international spirit. It is only the artists themselves, however, who can build a bridge, and working together is the best way to do this." (Imre Schrammel).
The works resulting from the symposium were presented in the Galerie Nothburga over the past 2 days, and were celebrated with a Finissage.
The works were created within the Educational Centre for Pre-School Education, which provided access to a large electric kiln and the necessary workspaces.
In addition, there was a large garden space for working and firing with two movable gas kilns, a clay oven previously built as part of a schools project, a media space for various lectures and a kitchen with dining room for communal meals.
The Teacher Training Institute used the opportunity provided by the symposium to stage a seminar for the further education of teachers.
The accompanying programme included visits to Schloss Ambras, some of the mayny museums in innsbruck, Schwaz and Burgen. Of course the opportunity of a visit to Hafelekar (2334 m above sea level) and to the well-known mountain village of Bergdorf Alpach were not missed out. A further highlight to the programme was a concert of ancient music in the beautiful renaissance hall of Schloss Ambras.
An additional expression of the recognition of this project's importance was given by the fact that the offical sponsoring bodies have promised support for a continuation of the project.
( Gabriela Nepo-Stieldorf)