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Contemporary Ceramique La Borne

December 16, 2015

Jean and Jacqueline Lerat, 1969

7 centuries of pottery crafts

La Borne has been an active pottery center since the 13th century. Known for centuries as a “Village de Potiers,” La Borne is nestled in the environs of lush forests, over 3000ft above sea level in the Berry province of Central France. Currently it is the epicenter for around 100 active potters and their workshops, drawn to the area for its rich tradition of woodfired stoneware and a pioneering creative spirit. A Contemporary Ceramics Center has also been established in La Borne since 2010 that provides workshops, exhibition space and the ability to liaise with local potters and tap into their rich clay art tradition. Close by are other pottery centres such as Nevers and Gien and it’s also nearby beautiful middle-age city of Bourges

In the 15th century, the La Borne potters mastered the technique of firing the excellent local clays to a temperature of 1280C to create waterproof qualities for their pots. The local fine anthracite clays react wonderfully to long firings with wood, possibly due to it containing iron pyrites. This led to the production of quality utilitarian wares and other hand-thrown and sculpted forms. A pottery-making tradition in La Borne flourished over the centuries, with technical skills and knowledge being passed down to new generations of potters.

Expo au Centre Céramique Contemporaine de La Borne

Photo – Patrice Régnier

The early part of the 20th century saw a decline in demand for the La Borne wares with the popularity of new materials like aluminum and glass, with streamlined designs, used for the creation of utilitarian wares. Numerous workshops closed down, and the huge wood-burning kilns fell into disuse. While in 1914, 14 furnaces were in operation, by 1950 there remained only four. Simultaneously, a renaissance was occurring through the wave of new designers, ceramicists and sculptors that came to settle in La Borne during the German Occupation n the 1940‘s. These innovative artists succeeded in uniting modern art with the traditional stoneware, by highlighting its strength, earthy colors and textures with revolutionary shapes and glazes. This inspired a liberating approach to the ceramic arts that has continued to develop throughout the 50‘s and 60‘s and beyond.

This started in 1941 with the arrival of artists Jean and Jacqueline Lerat, who came to study traditional ceramic techniques and eventually adapted this into a freer artistic expression. Other French and international artists such as Paul Beyer, André Rozay and Vassil Ivanoff arrived in 1946 followed by Pierre Mestre, Elisabeth Joulia, Yves et Monique Mohy, Anne Kjaersgaard, Jean Linard and Claudine Monchaussé coming to join this Post War ceramic movement. They made a significant contribution to elevating the language of ceramics design into a serious art form.
In 1987 the Musée de la Poterie, was founded to protect the local heritage, and has managed to assemble a remarkable collection of ancient items such as salting jars, oil containers, pitchers, finials and vases that were made locally.
La Borne still continues to be a thriving pottery precinct and a collection of pieces from the local artists are on display below.

La Borne’s wooded laneways are scattered with lots of pottery workshops.

Sancerre vineyards are nearby to La Borne

1838_Magen_H_Gallery_Yves-Mohy-1974

Yves Monty, 1974

Elisabeth Joulia

1990

Photographie de Thibault Breton

Ceramic berry bowl – Alicia Rochina

Alicia Rochina

Anne Reverdy

Bernard David

‘At the edge of landscape II’ –7 series, Brigitte Marionneau

2014 height-36cm

‘Mask, 3-III Series’ – Brigitte Marionneau

2010 h.32cm

photo – Pascal Vangysel

Charlotte Poulsen

Christine Limosino Favretto

Claude Gaget

Claude Voisin, Bourges

After more than 3 years of experimental theater, jazz dance, African dance, and after more than 30 years of architecture, Claude Voisin egan creating ceramic sculptures in 2000.

Claude Voisin

Claudie Guillaume Charnaux, Morogues

Corinne Decoux, Saint Satur

La Borne kiln

Dalloun, La Borne

Dalloun likes to explore a forgotten technique which is very very old (2500 years): sigillata earth – the many opportunities for cooking and the infinite variety of wild clays, provides a wealth of colors and tones, thanks to the iron oxide present in the earth.