2025 07 17 – 10 05

Opening July 17, 5.45 p.m.

Shaping Chamotte: World and Lithuanian Ceramics in the 1990s

The 1990s marked a period of major transformation in the world of ceramics. Artists across the globe reassessed the role of clay and ceramics in contemporary art, ushering in a renaissance for the medium. Traditional ceramic techniques were preserved, while new conceptual possibilities for the material were explored. During this decade, ceramics emerged as a powerful artistic medium for many creators, transcending its historical associations with applied and decorative arts. Nowhere was this transformation more apparent than in the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – where the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 triggered a cultural rebirth that significantly influenced the arts and the development of ceramics.

Ceramicists shed their craftsman roots and dependence on vessel forms, embracing sculptural and conceptual works instead. While conventional forms such as pots and vases remained, they were increasingly seen as visual metaphors rather than utilitarian objects. Clay became a storytelling tool, a means to create abstraction or political commentary.

Interest grew in alternative firing techniques such as raku, soda firing, and pit firing – methods that emphasized spontaneous action, organic textures, and a natural aesthetic. Artists explored the unpredictability of these processes as a counterpoint to the earlier precision of studio ceramics. Material experimentation flourished, featuring rough surfaces, unglazed finishes, and found objects – approaches that embodied a rejection of the Soviet-era production aesthetic.

A growing awareness of global artistic traditions and history encouraged a hybridization of forms and techniques. Ceramicists embraced diverse cultural influences, reflecting the postmodern condition.

This conceptual shift was further reinforced by increased institutional recognition. Museums and galleries, which had previously focused on painting, sculpture, and photography, began exhibiting ceramic works within the context of contemporary art. Amid these global trends, the Baltic region experienced a unique artistic transformation. Freed from Soviet ideological constraints, Lithuanian artists stood on the threshold of a new era. For ceramicists, the 1990s signified both liberation and engagement with international art movements, local cultural traditions, and the assertion of creative autonomy.

During the Soviet era, ceramics in Lithuania were largely limited to decorative and applied arts, produced by state-run “Dailė” art factories that remained isolated from global art developments. One of the key shifts in Lithuanian ceramics in the 1980s was a renewed focus on national identity. Artists began drawing on pre-Soviet folk traditions, mythology, and local materials to restore cultural memory and express a sense of place. Clay became a medium through which history and identity were explored, often via symbolic forms and earthy textures that conveyed both resilience and renewal.

This cultural revival coincided with a strong turn toward sculptural and installation-based practices. Ceramic works became less about function and more about provoking thought and emotion. Themes such as transitional periods, memory, and the fragility of existence were frequent, with clay’s inherent vulnerability serving as a powerful metaphor for a society in flux.

Institutions played a crucial role in this renaissance. The Panevėžys International Ceramic Symposium became an incubator for a new generation of ceramicists. The work environment encouraged experimentation, fostered international exchange, and supported the formation of small studios and artist collectives. Participation in international residencies, symposiums, and exhibitions helped Baltic ceramicists integrate into the global contemporary ceramics scene.

The roots of the Panevėžys Ceramic Symposium date back to 1983, when a seminar for Lithuanian ceramicists was held at the Panevėžys Glass Factory. The factory produced chamotte ceramics, fired in a unique kiln whose exceptionally high temperatures and vast volume enabled the creation of large-scale outdoor ceramic compositions – many of which remain on display in the gallery courtyard. In 1990, the event began to be organized by the Panevėžys Civic Art Gallery, in collaboration with the Glass Factory, and since 2006, with the ceramic company “Midenė”.

Given the breadth of the symposium’s history, the exhibition chooses to highlight its beginnings. From the extensive collection of the Panevėžys Civic Art Gallery, works by 11 artists have been selected: Daniela Chinellato (Italy), Philip Cornelius (USA), Ona Grigaitė (Lithuania), Makoto Hatori (Japan), Kersti Laanmaa (Estonia), Mel Mars (United Kingdom), Dainis Pundurs (Latvia), Giancarlo Scapin (Italy), Mitsuo Shoji (Australia), Egidijus Šimatonis (Lithuania), and Rimas VisGirda (USA). Each of these artists represents a facet of what defined the 1990s in ceramics: the search for a boundary between form and function, a re-evaluation of craft traditions and innovation, a declaration of local identity, and the beginning of a global dialogue.I invite you to view ceramics as a reflection of societal possibility and transformation. The artists presented in this exhibition took up clay to tell stories, challenge conventions, and forge a new artistic language.

PhD. Rokas Dovydėnas