14th International Mug Symposium 12th – 22th June 2017
14th International Mug Symposium
„Traditions and Possibilities 2017“
12th – 22th June 2017
The tradition of symposia in Český porcelain dates back to 1989. From the very beginning, it was necessary to differentiate between painting symposia, and mug symposia, due to their differences and concept. Painting symposia are very close the very production tradition of ČP with its cobalt painting under glazing. This old technique very closely linked with production of "onion-pattern" china expresses the possibility to use artists in open artistic design. Painting SYMPOSIA are known under the title and trademark "TRADITION AND POSSIBILITIES".
Both types of symposia contain the obligatory, and the optional part, which includes production of specified products by the deadline for exhibition purposes and storing in deposits, and in the open part it is possible to design some pieces for personal use of artists. Within the whole duration, many distinguished artists have met there, both foreign and Czech artists. From among the Czech designers, we can mention Jan Pacák, Helena Shoner-Schmaus, Zdeněk Hošek and many others.
The mug symposia, which always come after the painting ones, every odd year, are a challenge for non-traditional and creative design of all possible shapes of mugs and cups which can serve at least as inspiration, or even as pattern for launching into production which has been, and remains, the basic idea of the symposia organising – to implement new shapes into production. Some artists – ceramic designers succeeded with that in the past; it was the way of introduction of several new shapes of mugs, for example by academic sculptors Miroslav Oliva, Elzbieta Grosseová and others. Thanks to the organised symposia, a deposit of painting works and dozens of mugs has been created in the plant; you have a chance to see some of them at permanent exhibitions, as well as in the plant area.
