Ceramic Kiln
for the Art Residency
DWR art group, Gornovodnoe settlement,, Primorsky Krai
The idea of this project is to create the most energy-efficient kiln for firing ceramic products, the combustion of which will be supported by a renewable natural resource - wood. It is important to mention that the region where the artists live (Primorye) each year sees devastating typhoons carrying a lot of trees to the nearest rivers, which can be used as ready-made material without harming the taiga forests. In addition, since the process of photosynthesis, which is necessary for forest reproduction, takes place in the presence of carbon dioxide, firing in the warm seasons of the year would not be unquestionably harmful to the earth's atmosphere, and the option of wood-firing ceramics under these conditions can be considered in the context of sustainable development and resource conservation for future generations. In addition, wood ash can be used as a natural soil fertiliser as it does not contain the same amount of heavy metals, radioactive elements or carcinogens as coal ash.

The project of global insertion into the natural system is not limited to a ceramic kiln that optimises production. We are developing a programme for a consistent, slow transformation of life and the space of our lives: as clean, as inclusive and as safe as possible. The firing, as well as other possibilities of the space, artistic and communal, can be realised by residents, guests, locals, adults and children under the supervision of elders.
The cost of firing has been a surmountable obstacle in the production of projects, but now, in the taiga near Gornovodnoe in one of the most inaccessible parts of the region, this has become unfeasible. The kiln would provide us with new artistic possibilities and an environmentally friendly way of production (among other things, we are completing houses and other objects on the residence using local materials and upcycling).

We also included bread making into our project - in addition to artistic and gastronomic challenges, this practice also partially addresses the relative autonomy of the residency space. With the help of the kiln, working with ceramics is transformed from an expensive and energy-consuming externally sourced activity into an organic part of our form of life, a component of the Ussuri feast and meeting of like-minded people.

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"The idea for the project started quite prosaically. We have a baker, ceramists, pottery makers working on our premises. There was a practical request from them. We were also thinking about creating new crockery for the residence that we could make ourselves, on site, with minimal effort. Working with the kiln can also be a good interactive event that fits into our practice. You can get together with locals or invite guests to do a unifying activity and talk about important things"

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