COLUMBIA

Astur, Continued from Page 4

of the form. The potter then paddles the clay into place while walking round and round the form backwards, paddling as he goes, in a very rhythmic motion. Again, huge outdoor kilns, with dried palm fronds often used as kiln fuel. Once formed, the giant urns (four or five feet tall) are left in the sun to dry. With no plastic sheeting available to prevent rapid drying, the pots are coated in ash to minimise the harsh effects of the sun’s rays.

Women are conspicuous by their absence. I asked Hussein, our local guide, if women ever make pottery. He answered. that “they have to keep their hands clean for making couscous...and for when they get married.” Sensing my western values, Hussein hastened to explain that the division of labour is “complementary rather than equal.”

The next day we visited another pottery production facility in Tamegroute. Tamegroute is renowned for its characteristic green pottery—heavy, almost crude looking pieces. For the first time, we also saw some decorative glazing work; intricate designs are applied by hand with a fine syringe. There's a large retail store, also very obviously aimed at tourists rather than locals, though Tamegroute is not exactly a tourist destination.

The pottery industry there operates as a kind of collective, with several pockets of production, mostly family based. Again, kilns are fuelled with whatever comes to hand, no matter how noxious the fumes. During our visit, the kiln was re-fuelled, and clouds of jet black, impenetrable smoke billowed everywhere. The locals barely cleared their throats, while we were coughing, spluttering, choking, and fleeing for cover. The smoke was almost tangible; you couldn't see someone standing two paces ahead of you. We were told that some organisation from Germany had provided gas-fired kilns for the collective in the interests of respiratory health. However, the locals reverted to their traditional production methods because locally- procured, organic kiln fuel was less costly.

Several days later we found ourselves in a village called Seifa, near the town of Erfoud (where we were fortunate enough to see the king of Morocco—he even waved at me from his convoy—SO exciting!) As was the case in Agdz, the production was done by mostly one-man operations. Of significance here was the large pile of tires: kiln fuel. I'm glad we werent there on a firing day. I would NOT be keen to breathe in the fumes as the kiln is stoked. There was some outdoor brick making, and the first above ground kick wheel and the first concrete floor we'd seen.

At this point, we were invited to make something with clay that was provided. It was interesting how our Western sensibilities came through. We clearly emphasise artistry, embellishment and detail to a far greater extent than the Moroccans do. Every member of our group introduced some kind of esoteric flourish or detail, and these are qualities totally absent from Moroccan pottery.

Our very last pottery stop was at Skoura, between Dades and Ourzazate. Again, it was a small, individual or family-based operation, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. To be honest, at this stage I

was a bit potteried out and preferred to watch the very low-tech olive

harvest, which involved beating the upper reaches of the olive tree with a long stick and then gathering up the fallen olives in a large plastic sheet on the ground.

Denys had attempted to locate more decorative or sculptural work for us to see but, despite extensive enquiries and research, he was unsuccessful. I wonder if the lack of art is necessity-based or economically determined? Morocco is not a wealthy country. Could it be that art is a luxury that falls by the wayside in the face of economic hardship? Or is there a religious component? Is the conservative Muslim culture in some way a deterrent to creative or personal expression? I don’t know. Food for thought and perhaps a good excuse to go back to Morocco again to try and find

out.

Noxious kiln fumes, Tamegroute.

SarahLawle

KSA ‘Alum

Sarah graduated from Kootenay School of the Arts (KSA) in 2006 and is a 2008 BC Creative Achievement Award winner. She has her own studio practice and is presently selling her work in the Gallery of BC Ceramics in Vancouver.

KSA offers a 2-year diploma in Art Craft & Design with a Major in Clay. The program focuses on hands-on training with an emphasis on studio practice and is transferable.

APPLY NOW for 1st year or direct entry into 2nd year. Applications accepted for September or January entry.

Selkirk [@] College

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - February 2010 5