This series showcases beautifully the interaction between the artist and his material. The clay for this piece is procured from a digging site that had been abandoned since the Romans left it.
Matthias finds the form of the Platinum Chawan by first shaping a thick walled bowl, then cutting away at the wall with a knife. It takes careful precision not to cut through the wall of the bowl.
Seashells are used as a natural base in the first firing of the chawan that when burned away leave residual calcium that acts as a natural transparent glaze on the base of the piece.
To finish the piece the artist applies a platinum lustre containing real platinum before firing once more.
Handcrafted in Austria.
