Neuf objets noirs

For Ciprian Tocu, the border between the utilitarian and the decorative object does not exist. All the pieces that make up the “Nine Black Objects” series have different sizes, but the same diameter at their base. Their shapes evokes everyday objects. The smallest invite us to use them. However, the bigger they get, the blurrier the border between the utilitarian and the decorative. The ninth object, the largest one, is a perfect example.
With these nine ceramic objects, Ciprian Tocu strives to showcase the beauty of the natural materials used, handcrafted on a potter’s wheel and featuring simple, clean lines. These pieces, made of black sandstone, are covered with a black enamel veil which reveals the hammering work, decorative marks left after the objects have been cleaned and trimmed. This technique is a contemporary reinterpretation of the ancestral ceramics traditions from Ciprian Tocu’s country of origin, Romania.
Atelier Parter's ceramics are difficult to pin down. Their mysterious textures, between paper and cold metal or sea rock, can sometimes trick us into believing they haven’t been glazed. However, multiple layers of enamel and ashes are certainly present, hardly perceptible given the pieces’ finesses. It is only by taking a closer look that we observe subtle variations in the enamel or discreet spatula marks that allow for the curves to gently vary without disturbing the whole. When looking at his pieces, the informed eye ends up seeing abstract landscapes. But it is only by observing them in different seasonal lightings that the pieces reveal all their subtleties. Atelier Parter produces works which are simple in appearance but heighten our senses.