88 - Eric Astoul (1954)

Eric Astoul (1954) Anagama Ceramic, from his studio in La Borne Circa 2010 H20 L18 D18 cm Based in La Borne, in the Cher department, Éric Astoul is part of the community of potters that has made this village, since the postwar period, one of the major centers of stoneware ceramics in France. There, he practices wood-firing—a long and demanding process—which leaves natural ash deposits and drippings on the pieces that are impossible to reproduce exactly. This piece bears the mark of that process: every surface bears the imprint of the fire. It is part of a tradition in which French ceramics engage in a dialogue with Japanese and Korean kilns, from which La Borne has drawn extensive inspiration.