Education Archive #6 – Henryk Lula. Ceramics: The Art Of Matter. Plaster mold

Large ceramic objects are a hallmark of Henryk Lula's work. The artist uses plaster molds to make elaborate solids. Plaster absorbs the moisture contained in the ceramic mass. The starting point for further work is a sphere. The artist carves out two hemispheres of the negative form with ceramic plastic mass, which, after fixation, are glued together. The next stage involves attaching sculptural elements such as feathers or openwork mesh pressed into smaller molds. This technique requires great care, as the material is very fragile. After each stage of molding, the objects are retouched and dried. Following the initial fixation of the raw material, the artist proceeds to the first bisque firing. Only at this stage does the work gain durability.