University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 1994 Shibboleth & heterodoxy: a comparative study of trends and belief in contemporary and traditional ceramic art Alan Peascod University of Wollongong Recommended Citation Peascod, Alan, Shibboleth & heterodoxy: a comparative study of trends and belief in contemporary and traditional ceramic art, Doctor of Creative Arts thesis, Faculty of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong, 1994. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/929 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact Manager Repository Services: [email protected]. SHIBBOLETH & HETERODOXY A Comparative Study of Trends and Belief in Contemporary and Traditional Ceramic Art A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree Doctor of Creative Arts from the UNIVERSITY of WOLLONGONG by Alan Peascod Faculty of Creative Arts 1994 CERTIFICATION 1 certify that this work has not been submitted for a degree at any University or Institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by any other person, except where due reference has been made in the text. Alan Peascod September 1994 SHIBBOLETH & HETERODOXY The past thirty years has seen a rapid democratisation of ceramic art education. In common with other forms of art training, ceramics has become readily accessible to a wide cross-section of the community. Not only are educational resources more plentiful but the accompanying material supplies, technical information and marketing infrastructures are considerably more sophisticated. Since the Industrial Revolution industrial practices have permeated every corner of the community psyche. We not only embrace the place of machinery but are increasingly reliant on mechanisation to make decisions for us. The consequence is the industrialisation of artistic expression and denial of the importance of spiritualism and its relationship to practice. The interest in marketing has also opened opportunities for specialists to supply ready-made materials or equipment representing a loss of control in fundamental decision-making in ceramics practice. The sophistication in media technology has also had its part to play. Promotional opportunities for practising artists now make it possible to accelerate career development at levels unheard of twenty years ago. The emphasis on self-promotion, however, is not without its risks. Despite the resource developments there is an undercurrent of concern amongst established artists and art collectors that the quality of artwork being produced and marketed is declining. The uncritical acceptance of industrial philosophic criteria is replacing important traditional methods and consensus on aesthetic altering the face of creative content. There are important lessons to be learned by appraising traditional attitudes in any artform. There are also many questions to be asked and resolved if the future of studio ceramics is to survive. The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate the relationship between industry, ceramics education, publishing and community values in the contemporary ceramics world. The value of tradition and belief is also examined to outline some of the spiritual relationships surrounding aesthetic. By constructing a comparative analysis a definition for future directions is attempted. To my wife Ellen, Sam and Jess and to my Mother for their love and untiring support. CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 INDUSTRIALISM 15 SPIRITUALISM & AESTHETIC 32 EDUCATION 57 THE PRINTED WORD 93 CONTEMPORARY VALUES 123 CONCLUSION 130 APPENDLX 141 BIBLIOGRAPHY 147 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The preparation of this dissertation was made possible by many colleagues in the Australian and international art teaching systems, by curators, archaeologists and historians who have patiently answered my many enquires, by administrators interested in educational and art practices or collectors, publishers and other independent observers who share a passion for ceramics as an art form. My appreciation is extended to the Faculty of Creative Arts and Wollongong University for the valuable opportunity to undertake post-graduate research. Special thanks and appreciation are extended to my supervisor Lindsay Duncan for his untiring effort, patience and wisdom during the entirety of the exhibition and dissertation preparation. I would also like thank Dr. Peter Shepherd and Dr. Sue Rowley for their encouragement and support during the progress of my work. In particular I would like to thank the following artists and teachers whose philosophical views were most helpful: Colin Pearson, Gillian Loundes, Peter Starkey, Mike Spoor, Sebastian Blackie, Mick Casson and Mike Dodd for their insights into the British educational system; to Don Reitz for his thoughts on contemporary American teaching, Robert Reid for his valuable help and philosophical introspection on industrial practice; Lothar Fischer for his assistance in viewing the German education system; to the many Australian colleagues in particular Bill Samuels, Owen Rye, Bob Allen, John Teschendorf and Don Court for their views on contemporary Australian education; to Chester Nealie whose closer acquaintance has reinforced and encouraged my own perspective. There are many who have assisted my research in the publishing world and for their valuable critical skills I would like to thank Alan Caiger-Smith and Dr. James Allan. In particular I would like to thank Janet Mansfield for her encouragement and leadership during the entirety of my career. I would like to extend my appreciation to gallery staff and owners for their assistance in setting-up and promoting the four dissertation exhibitions: the Wollongong City Art Gallery; Ceramic Art Gallery, Paddington, Sydney; Jam Factory, Adelaide and Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne. For their professional experience and inspiration I would like to thank Tatsuzo Shimaoka, Shoji Hamada, Robyn Welch, Harry Davis, John Reeves, Lucie Rie, S'ad and my teachers Peter Rushforth, Mollie Douglas, Bernie Sahm and Derek Smith who planted the first seeds. I am indebted to Professor Said el Sadr, Egyptian ceramic artist and past Dean of Ceramics, Academy of Applied Art, Cairo, Egypt for his inspiration and leading me to Islamic art and lustre technology; to Alan Caiger-Smith who gave me my first taste of constructive analysis. I would also like to extend my special thanks to Peter Wilde for his support and a restoration of faith. For their invaluable support in accessing important collections and sharing their enthusiasm for ceramic art special thanks to Dr Johanna Zick of the Archaeological Museum (Islamic) Collection, Daalem, Berlin; Dr. Ferouz Baghezadah and Mm. Ann Saurat of the Iran Bastan Museum, Teheran, Iran who gave me a deep appreciation of Persian Islamic Art as did Mdm. Bahmanir of the Ministry of Culture, Teheran; Mdm. Waffiya Ezzy, Director of the Islamic Museum, Cairo, Egypt and Dr E. Rowshadi, Baghdad Museum, Iraq. To Snr. Juan Zozaya, Archaeological Museum, Madrid, Spain, for illuminating discussions on historic Moorish Art; Don Antonio Fernandez Puertas, Director of the National Museum for Hispanic/Moorish Art, Granada, Spain; Balbinez Caviro Martinez, Director Museo Valencia de Don Juan, Madrid, Spain; Ambassador Utray, Ambassador for Spain, Canberra, (1983-1986) and Assistant Secretary Mariano Borerro Hidalgo for an overwhelming generosity in assisting my research on Maghribi culture, Spanish art and educational philosophy . I would also like to thank Curators in the British Museum system in particular Richard Gray, Manchester Museum, John Dore, Corbridge Museum, Dr. James Allan, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford for his invaluable thoughts of Islamic art and writing within the curatorial profession; to Michael Vickers, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford for presenting an entirely new perspective; Eileen Dawson, Curator of Medieval English and German Pottery, British Museum, London for her views on European industrial ceramics; Oliver Watson, Victoria and Albert Museum, London for repeated access to an extraordinary Islamic ceramics collection. Special thanks to Snr. Jame Bennet of the National Palace Museum, Barcelona for his untiring efforts on curatorial practice. I would also like to thank the staff of the Roman Museum, Cologne, the Greek and Urartrian Museums, Munich and the Hetjens Museum, Dusseldorf for views on writing in the Archaeological field; the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for throwing important light on Islamic design principles in Europe. I am indebted to the following organisations for patiently dealing with my questions on education in ceramics as well as allowing me to see, first hand, independent training structures: Ministry for Higher Education and Islamic Culture, Teheran, Iran, for arranging my visits to the art training school in Isfahan; The Ministries for Higher Education and Culture, Cairo for enabling me to see the teaching systems at the Applied Academy and El Ghoori. The various Colleges of Art in Britain: Medway, Farnham, Cardiff, Central School, Camberwell, Cumbria and the Glasgow School of Art where I was fortunate to spend two years experiencing first hand the Scottish teaching systems. In Denmark I would like to thank Elsa Benatar for so kindly assisting the opportunity to view the art schools in Kolding and Arhuus. I am indebted to the Ministry of Information for enabling