Natalia Vavoulas
Meriden School
AKÁLIPTO
Ceramics
Stoneware clay, black underglaze, magma glaze
Growing up in Australia, it is challenging to maintain my heritage’s rich customs, celebrations and traditions. When my grandparents migrated to Australia they attempted to conform to contemporary Australian culture. Today we lament the loss of cultural diversity. Akálipto, translating to ‘uncovered’, represents the collective experience of cultural loss faced by immigrant families across Australia, regardless of ethnicity. In my body of work, a unique magma glaze partially conceals traditional designs, conveying both the destruction and loss of culture over time and the resilience and preservation of cultural identity. I invite the audience to discover hidden beauty beneath the surface.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the artist Gerry Wedd.
Marker's Commentary
The series of eight ceramic forms in Akalipto are inspired by a range of traditional Greek utilitarian ceramic vessels such as the amphora, oinochoe, hydria and chous. The vessels are adorned with classic narratives suggesting tales, mythology, everyday life and events. Each element in the body of work is seamlessly constructed, each highly consistent in technique and with the cultural perfection sought in these forms. Sections of the surface decoration are removed to highlight the appearance of an excavated artifact, this intentional scaring of the surfaces demonstrates highly accomplished understanding of the nature of clay and the firing of decorative glazing techniques and embellishments. The lost sections within the vessels invite the audience to piece together the aspects of history no longer visible or disclosed, also suggesting the viewer becomes part of the connections and conversation with past cultural histories and storylines. This body of work demonstrates informed technical understanding and material sensitivity.