Module 1: Symposium – Ceramics between change and challenge – between past and present

---

Symposium – Ceramics between change and challenge – between past and present

 

Which was the use of ceramics in various contexts, from the Baroque up to now, in all social spheres? These were the questions to be asked, the topics featured at the Symposium related to the role and the use of ceramics in the context of European culture, art and history.

But it was even more, which had to be discussed: In addition, special attention was given to the research of this medium, as well as to the analysis and evaluation of the importance of this material in the history of culture and nowadays. Ceramics play an important role in European cultural heritage, but there is an impression that its role stands in opposition to the role of the ceramics in contemporary everyday life and culture. The aim of the Symposium was to offer directions for studying the continuity of the use of this material and relations between the traditional and the modern in all segments of society. The participation of the most eminent experts and scholars from Europe and all over the world were of use to form the basis for exchange of new information, contemporary research and scientific methodologies, and enabled to establish a forum for further discussion.

The Symposium organised by Museum of Applied Art, took place on 20 and 21 May 2015 at the Gallery of Frescos of National Museum in Belgrade at the and brought together all partners, most eminent experts and scholars from Europe. They exchanged new information, contemporary research and scientific methodologies.

The symposium was attended by 20 experts from 10 European countries, and eminent European experts in various dimensions of ceramics, such as Prof. J. Heinrich, former president of the German and European Ceramics Society and the Secretary of the International Foundation of Ceramics, Prof. J. Huber, who is one of the leaders in the field of European technology in the production of ceramics, Prof. R. Johnson, professor emeritus and director of the Film Archive of Staffordshire University whose presentation was related to the role of archives in documenting the history of ceramics, Mr. H. Raithel, the General Manager of KAHLA/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH. The audiences were addressed by designers, historians, art historians and archaeologists from Germany, Latvia, Estonia, France, England, Italy, Spain, and Serbia, who deal with the research of the history, aesthetics and character of ceramics in various historical periods and social aspects.

Besides, the project partners, several well-known experts from all over Europe participated at the symposium, such as Ms S. Legrand Rossi, head of the Curatorial department of the Nissim de Camondo Museum in Paris, Dr. V. Mazzotti, curator of The International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, Dr. M. Šuste associate at the Museum of Porcelain in Riga, Ms E. Budde, Managing Director of Transparent Design Management GmbH in Frankfurt/M.

Experts from Serbia were Dr. V. Bikić, senior research fellow of the Archaeological Institute in Belgrade, Ms Lj. Miletić Abramović, the director of the Museum of Applied Art, Ms B. Djordjević museum counslor of the National Museum, Ms B. Vukotić, senior curator of the Museum of Applied Arts, Ms J. Popović and Ms B. Crvenković, curators of the Museum of Applied Arts. Of course, those speeches, which were given during the symposium, those discussions which had been held, those results which had been finally agreed, should not be forgotten. This is the reason, why the partners agreed as proposed by the responsible persons or the symposium, to keep them available for future use in a printed volume.

So the Symposium „Ceramics between Change and Challenge, between Past and Present – From Baroque until Today“ was unveiled at the Partner Meeting at Fiskars in November 2016 (Finland) and published early in 2017. As the themes are of international interest, it was the idea to enlarge the focus. This is why in addition to the introductory texts this symposium volume includes 16 essays written by authors from all over Europe.