Lot 199: Claudi Casanovas (Spanish born 1956) Decorative Arts from 1860

a Large 'Volcanic' Stoneware Sculture, circa 2000 the openwork vessel fashioned with different 'shards' of clay heightened with random glaze tones 58cm long

The technique used by Casanovas involves porcelain powder being mixed with feldspar or volcanic grit - the mix is pressed into wooden crates and frozen to -30 °c . The frozen clay is broken into a predetermined shape - finding the most interesting cracks and forms. During thawing the clay is supported in a plaster cast, when dry it is fired to 1300 °c. Once fired, the solid pieces weigh up to 100 kg and measure up to 67 cm high. Most are sculpted with a hammer or chisel - as if they were stone.