Benedetta Pompili

Self-glazing ceramics

Can we apply techniques from the past as a solution to today’s problems? “One of the biggest issues facing the field of ceramics today is the amount of energy behind the production process.” Benedetta Pompili, social designer and ceramics researcher, is looking for ways to reduce the amount of energy that goes into making ceramics. She is doing this for Crafts Council Nederlands (w)aardewerk project by researching the possibilities of ceramics that can glaze themselves in the kiln. To achieve this she takes inspiration from historical techniques.

The production process of ceramics consumes high amounts of energy for several reasons. Both clay and porcelain have to be fired at high temperatures to become hard (between 900 and 1400 degrees Celsius). In addition, they are often fired a second time, after glazes are applied in order to allow the glaze to meld with the ceramic piece. Benedetta is therefore exploring options for firing glazed ceramics just once, and whether it is possible to do so at a lower temperature.

Firing ceramics once

Previously, Benedetta explored the possibilities of firing ceramics once in her project Raw.obj, in which she produced 3D-printed pottery. ‘The problem with firing only once is that the glaze has to be applied to the unfired clay. This has to be done at exactly the right moment in the clay’s drying process. If the clay is already too far dried when you apply the glaze, the ceramic object will collapse.’ To make one-off firing more workable, Benedetta decided on a different approach. She carried out extensive historical research and arrived at self-glazing ceramics.

The main ingredient of glaze is glass, which melts over the ceramics in the kiln and creates a shiny, protective layer. Self-glazing ceramics turns the process on its head, as powdered glass is mixed in with the clay, giving the ceramic object the same shiny appearance without having to be fired twice.

Parian Ware

Benedetta draws inspiration for this project from Parian Ware, a way of making ceramics from the UK in the 19th century. ‘I look at what has already been studied and done in the past, perhaps with very different motivations, and then try to crack that tradition in view of the current demand.’ Parian Ware was developed to be able to replicate marble figurines and ornaments cheaply. The composition of the porcelain used was highly innovative as it could be cast in a mould, thus allowing mass production of the objects. More importantly, Parian Ware was self-glazing.

Using Parian Ware as a basis, Benedetta is researching how best to compose self-glazing porcelain. ‘It is very precise. If too much glass is added to the mixture, the whole object melts or sticks to the bottom of the kiln. If there is too little glass in it, the desired glazed effect is not achieved.’ In her project, Benedetta also tries to make sense of the effects of different firing temperatures and compositions on the ceramics. She discovered that mixing the porcelain and glass combination in a ball mill ultimately allows for lower firing of the ceramic pieces. A ball mill is a mixing machine in which the porcelain is additionally ground by balls moving around inside the mill. This creates an even and smooth consistency in the final product.

Recycled materials and innovation

The porcelain Benedetta uses is recycled from the porcelain industry, and the glass she adds is also reused. For this research, Benedetta collaborates with the Rijksacademie Amsterdam, where she repurposes broken glasses from the canteen to incorporate into her ceramics. In this way, too, Benedetta tries to minimise the overall footprint of her work. About the (w)aardewerk community of practice, Benedetta appreciates the collective desire of all makers to innovate sustainably. ‘Everyone has their own vision. This creates a rich environment to learn from each other. It requires being flexible in embracing each other’s approach, and, at the same time there is a lot of room for critical thinking and sharing.’

Benedetta hopes to inspire people in the ceramics industry to innovate further. ‘As a designer, I am material-oriented. By experimenting, I explore the possibilities of the material and try to tell a new story about it. It is important that makers and consumers keep asking the industry in order to reduce their energy consumption and work more with recycled materials.’

This project was made possible in part by the Rijksacademie Amsterdam.

Text: Anke Vromen
Photography: Fan Liao