a potters film
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"There is both an extraordinary energy and a mathematical intensity here, a complex process of making, glazing and firing, and we investigate the philosophy and skill of making".
Duration
30.13
Director
Peter and Andrea Hylands
Cinematography
Rob Pignolet and Andrea Hylands
Filmed in Queensland, Australia. Award winner Montpellier, France 2010.
Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, strongly connected to the development and history of contemporary ceramics in the 20th century, retained a remarkable presence in the 21st century ceramic movement.
Join Gwyn Hanssen Pigott in this award winning film as Gwyn prepares the work for an exhibition to be shown during the Edinburgh Festival.
Director: Andrea and Peter Hylands. Cinematography: Rob Pignolet and Andrea Hylands.
Duration 30 minutes; audio English.
An award winning documentary about ceramic artist Gwyn Hanssen Pigott.
Gwyn was recognised as one of the world’s leading ceramic artists and is particularly well known for her series of still life collections of porcelain vessels.
The film shows Gwyn making, glazing and firing her work. The film also includes sequences of a wood firing and the unpacking of the kiln.
Gwyn’s skill and dedication to a potters life gave her the opportunity to develop working relationships and friendships with some of the 20th century’s most significant potters including; Ivan McMeekin, Ray Finch, Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie, Dame Lucie Rie, Ray Finch, Alan Caiger-Smith and Mick Casson.
Gwyn was central to the development and history of contemporary ceramics in the 20th century and still retained a remarkable presence in the 21st century ceramic movement. Gwyn died in London in July 2013.
Gwyn continued to exhibit internationally, with exhibitions since 2000 including Galerie Besson London; Tate St Ives, UK; Garth Clark, New York; The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh; Rex Irwin Art Dealer, Sydney; Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane; Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne and a major retrospective Gwyn Hanssen Pigott: a survey, National Gallery of Victoria.
Public collections include the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.
Best contemporary film Montpellier
A potters film won the best contemporary film award at the Ateliers d’art de France international film festival at Montpellier in 2010. The 7th edition of the Festival was held at Le Corum Conference Centre in Montpellier on 20 and 21 March 2010.
After a rigorous international selection process, twenty nine films from eleven countries were selected for the 2010 festival. After all the films had been screened, five prizes were awarded by the jury and spectators were also invited to vote for the public prize.
Screenings took place in the Berlioz room at Le Corum conference centre. Peter and Andrea Hylands were invited to attend the festival and collected their award in front of a large audience of international attendees to the event.
Anna Bligh MP Premier of Queensland at the time (the Australian State in which the film was made) says about a potters film:
“Your film on Ms Pigott’s work is fascinating viewing for anyone interested in the history of pottery or the contemporary practice of wood fired ceramics”.
Review
A potters film, (Dir. Peter Hylands, Australia, 2008, 30 mins) depicted the artist Gwyn Hanssen Pigott and was a traditional ceramic artist’s portrait. It showed her practice from throwing the work to packing and firing the kiln to standing contemplating her finished pieces.
The film like so many of this format was charming, portraying a kind of romantic idealised lifestyle that accompanies so many potters’ portraits. It was also insightful, thorough and deserved the acclaim it received. The interviewer was shown interacting in the film and was heard asking questions, which was a welcome change. The pace, story and visuals were superb. During the making and firing of these pieces no stone was left uncovered in its depictions and revelations.
A highlight was when the Director asked Hanssen Pigott what she likes about these works. She is left struggling to find the words to describe what she is looking at, and becomes emotional trying to articulate what makes the work beautiful. Even the cones Hanssen Pigott uses for firing were shown to have special importance to her work – how the interpretation of the melting is integral to her practice. This film is educational as well as entertaining, thoroughly researched and impeccably presented.
Leah McLaughlin from review of the 2010 International Film Festival on Clay and Glass, Interpreting Ceramics, issue 12, 2010.
Highlights from the documentary
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