Photo credit: YAP studio (www.yap-studio.com)
He was born in 1984 in Brasov, Romania. She graduated from the University of Arts and Design in Cluj-Napoca. It has been written about Răzvan Botiș that he observes reality and processes it with finesse and humor in works varied as a medium of expression, the most recent being made in ceramics. His works turn conventional perceptions and preconceptions on their head with a detached and lucid approach, speculating on the apparent simplicity of gestures and situations. I have noticed that there are numerous works that have as their subject man, the human body, its movements, attitudes, its expressiveness, with an understanding for man and his problems, without excluding a touch of humor.
– Maria Zintz:
When did you graduate from the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca?
– Răzvan Botiș: I graduated from the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca in 2007, in 2009 I finished my master’s degree and I finished my PhD in 2019. Why did you choose ceramics to express yourself creatively? Since the sixth grade I realized that I could express myself more easily in modeling. I’ve tried many mediums, but the whole volume thing I think appeals to me the most. Recently I decided to show only unglazed fired clay objects. Who were the teachers? In high school I had Nicolae Truțiu as my ceramics teacher, he was one of my most beloved teachers. At university I had many good teachers and I learned something from each of them. How have you received their guidance? The pottery studio in the university was the place where I had the maximum freedom, of course there was guidance. What did it consist of? The guidance consisted of a certain behavior, every teacher was a role model for me. Nothing was imposed on me, but there were expectations every time.
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What were your creative themes immediately after leaving school?
– After finishing my studies I tried to discover other mediums of expression, for example, I used to take photographs of objects on film. At one point, I photographed the footprints of the hats in the snow. That lasted about seven years and then I returned to ceramics. We tried many classic themes. I can tell you that the only direction I didn’t try was the abstract area. Otherwise I experimented with many conceptual niches.
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What were the general (artistic) concerns?
– The main concern is to make sense of chaos, or a shapeless lump of clay.
– Going through the exhibition activity, I noticed that they (the exhibitions) had in mind an idea, a problem (theme) of meditation on existential aspects of man. Name a few? To remember and develop those thoughts that led to the creation of the works.
– In the last solo exhibition of 2019 at Sabot Gallery, I aimed to highlight the condition of the ceramist in society, who in my opinion has a special role in a digitalized world because he keeps direct contact with the raw material. Nowadays all objects are prefabricated and packaged as finished products. In another personal exhibition I placed ceramic objects on paintings and I wanted to draw attention to the hierarchy of guilds. It is well known that painting is always in the foreground.
– Similarly, you have participated in (numerous) international exhibitions on themes that have in common man and his existential problems, feelings, related to his feelings and experiences. For example Persona in Marseille (France) in 2019, Extindere.ro in Moscow, Few were happy with their condition at Gallery 400 at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2016, November Remembers September at Balmoral Art Castle, Bad Ems Germany, and you can name a few more, because there were many. What kind of works did you send to these exhibitions? How were they made (materials and techniques)?
– I tried many mediums until 2016 when I started to work more in ceramics, but until 2016 I made some movies, photographed ephemeral objects or interventions in public space, worked with precious metals, gold, silver, made installations, made glass objects, or readymade objects from the Oser flea market in Cluj. All this time I seem to have run away from ceramics to savor all mediums until I settled on a unique material to work with. My father, who is also a jeweler, helped me with some precious metal objects. I also photographed my mom in different poses.
– What did the study trips mean? In what way did they have an impact on you? What about workshops?
– In 2006 I had an Erasmus scholarship in Vilnius, Lithuania. There I enjoyed working in a workshop like something out of a Harry Potter story. The university was housed in a former monastery. I enjoyed working there. I’ve been on three other artistic residencies, one in Germany and two in Austria. But all this time I moved from one medium of expression to another in search of the material of my choice, clay. I don’t like porcelain because it’s too precious.
– You also express yourself through other artistic means. What is their relationship with ceramic art?
– Currently I work almost exclusively in clay, there are times when I also paint, but rarely. In future I only want to use one kind of red clay, fired at 900 degrees C, unglazed. I think I’ve found my favorite material and I’m very excited about it.
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Name a few potters you consider important and from whom you have learned or assimilated influences.
– Peter Fischli and David Weiss, Jesse Wine, Woody De Othello, Eugenia Pop, Navid Nuur.
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What are your current concerns?
– At the moment I have a pottery studio on my balcony, I have a kiln and I work with clay every day.
– You will take over the subjects taught until now by Professor Nicolae Procopan. What are they?
– Currently I am an associate at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca where I teach drawing.
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Projects for the future?
– I made an exchange of works with Dan Perjovschi, that is, I challenged him to draw on clay and I am waiting for a package from him. I’m going to do a burning of his work and then I’m going to return some of his work.
Interview by Maria Zintz.