It was a particular
pleasure to have the eminent maker Gabriele Koch with us for this last Makers Lunch of the year. We have
shown her work at Bevere on at least two occasions and her work always adds
something special to the look of the Gallery.
Gabriele
was born in Germany, although she has lived and worked in the UK for many
years. She concentrates on
simple forms, trying to relate equilibrium and tension, stillness and movement,
expansion and the containment of volume. Contrast of colour is produced by the
colours of the clay, black and white.
The work
we have in the gallery before us is a significant number given that Gabriele is
only physically able to produce around twenty pieces a year. Whist she
explained that her spinal/neck problems had seriously hampered her production,
it also became more evident during our discussion that these apparently simple
pieces took considerable time to process and complete – particularly the use of
integrated porcelain decoration and the paring back of surplus material.
We talked
at length about her training in the UK at Goldsmiths and the contrast between
British and German ceramic cultures. As we discovered, during the discussion
with Yo Thom and Akiko Hirai, Britain provides a greater professional freedom
for personal development for the young ambitious maker.
Hand-building
is obviously an important aspect of the making process for Gabriele. She coils
her pots and their shape and shaping is at the heart of her making ethos.
It became
increasingly evident as the event proceeded that Gabriele has an insatiable
creative drive and she continues to make wonderful pots notwithstanding her
physical constraints – long may she do so!
Stuart
Dickens
3 December
2018
