Watching the Anagama: Heat, collaboration, craft and waiting
This past month of May, Contemporary Design students, alumni, and teachers from Aalto joined master firers at Ceramic Center KUU in Mallusjoki, Orimattila, to take part in a traditional anagama wood-firing. Over four days, teams chopped wood, tended shifts through day and night, and carefully pushed the kiln toward peak heat. When the kiln was finally opened it revealed the collaborative results of ash, flame, clay, and time. This celebration that also marked the 25th firing anniversary of this particular anagama, founded, as the KUU centre, by Jari Vesterinen. Alongside the making, the team documented the process for a photo reportage, capturing the people, rhythms, tools, and knowledge that keep this living tradition moving forward.
Maarit M盲盲kel盲; Photo by Seoyoung Lee鈥淎 meaningful day at KUU, where the tradition of wood firing was present on different levels: in the form of the kiln, wood and traditional glazes; working environment, tools and master; values, skills and spirit; collaboration between students, teachers and alumni. I felt going back to my roots, being part of the realm I love and respect deeply.鈥
"It was a myriad of contradictions. It is a learning experience into a traditional ceramic making/firing technique, but it is like a summer camp with your best friends at the same time. It was hard physical labor and the irregular sleeping caused by the night shifts and sleeping in an unfamiliar place made it mentally straining too. However, the cozy location in the countryside and the nightly singing of the (thrush) nightingales and cuckoos in the nearby trees made it simultaneously an experience of grounding and recovery from the hectic city/university life."
- Daniel Kohvakka
Jonna Rutanen鈥淭his experience was a rather physical challenge. I cycled to the location in Mallusjoki Orimattila with a CoDe fellow student friend from Henna station. We were chosen to be on the very last shift on Sunday, which was really interesting and fun. The temperature rise up to 1300 degrees, and we witnessed some really intense fire coming out from the airholes. At the end of the process, it was the time to close the Anagama kiln airholes with clay and paper. Me and other friend operated on one side and two others closed the holes on the opposite side of the kiln.鈥
Thank you to all participants for their work and support in this collaborative experience:
Students: Katariina Tuuri, Sakari Nurmi, Arsenii Chuvaev, Olivia Anttila, Roope Sysil盲, Matilda Humalajoki, Heidi Naumanen, Nikke Rantanen, Viivi Hirvikangas, Maria Shilnikova, Charlotte Becker, Elia von Arx, Ene R枚nkk枚, Daniel Shiechl, Jonna Rutanen, Hitomi Asaka, Marcelo Guajardo, Seoyoung Lee and Daniel Kohvakka.
Staff members: Maarit M盲kel盲, Tomi Pelkonen, Tatu Vuorio, Kirsti Taiviola, Priska Falin, Nathalie Lautenbacher
Studio assistant: Sandra Prami
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