Ceramic fantasies. The keepers of traditions. Leave a comment

Finding the truth

“I crumple the sides of the cold red clay,

And warming it gently in my hands.

I fill with light, with meaning and love

Breath of grass and the song of tit,

As a child that will be released soon on the road

Blessed by the fire and prayer.”

 Rishtan is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia of the manufacture of ceramics. For 1100 years, from generation to generation masters of the city pass the secrets of unique ceramic products. The traditions of ceramic art by the end of the 20th century were almost lost in many ceramic centers and only in Rishtan and in this is its phenomenon, the craft was rapidly developing, retaining its stylistic integrity. The feature of Rishtan ceramics in its pattern and totally unique varnish, which is called “ishkor”, so the pottery is often called ishkor.

An award-winning master of ceramic cases, bright representative of the traditional Rishtan’s school,the honored member of arts of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Nazirov agreed to become our guide to the world of traditional ceramic school of Rishtan

B.Nazirov.

Once he was “shogird” – apprentice of his older brother Alisher Nazirov, award-winning master of ceramic cases. The way of Bakhtiyor Nazirov to mastery began as a boyish effortlessly. One day, little Bakhtiyor decided to trace where every day with unconcealed pleasure rushing his elder brother Alisher. Reaching in the footsteps of his brother to the ceramic workshop Bakhtiyor did not come out from there more. Having learnt all the skills of making ceramic pottery to the strictest canons, Bakhtiar began his own professional career.

Now about the secrets, traditions and the strict regulations ruling in the “ceramic” world from the words of master Bakhtiyor Nazirov.

 Mr.Bakhtiyor traditional ceramic of Rishtan is also called “ishkor”. Why?

B. N: Ishkor is the plant that is the basis for traditional Rishtan glaze. We also called “fortyroots”. The unique of ishkor is that Uzbekistan is the only place in the world where it is grown and used for making glazes for ceramic ware.

 

 

We collect ishkor at the end of September. There, on the field we are converting the plant into ashes. All packaged in bags and sent to the master. Already in the workshop ash is burned again in the oven “gundam” at a temperature of 1200-1300 °t , thereby bringing the ashes to the crystal state. After roasting, we again grind the resulting powder. Then, in this
powder, we add the required amount of quartz sand, a little the most ordinary flour and one unusual element-crushed river stones. These white stones we collect from the bottom of local river Sokh when the water gets low in it. Of course, each master has his own secrets in the preparation of glazes. But, this is a big  secret.

What colors are typical for Rishtan’s tableware

B.N: We add cobalt in the ishkor mixture if we are to get the turquoise, azure and blue colors. Adding copper, we get the green, manganese – the brown. And if we add the hardware, we will have a yellow color.If ishkor nothing is added, you get a classic white color. Lets talk about a pewter color, which is obtained through the use of tin. It is tin ceramics was widely used in the decoration of architectural constructions in the era of Amir Timur. Due to the use of tin ceramic tile became hardier, and it was necessary that the facades and inner halls after centuries have preserved its beauty. It is important to note that in the manufacture of ceramic ware with the addition of tin, you must use it only in certain doses. For us there is the concept of “food tin”, that is, permissible substances for use in the manufacture of pottery. What the dishes were beautiful but if for its creation were used not permissible for human health proportion of dye, the game is not worth the candle. As you can see not enough to be a master – creative person, you must take responsibility for the whole process and be a competent technologist.

 

Pic.1. Cobalt
Pic.2. Tin

Rishtan is the name of the legendary ceramic school. In an effort to reduce the incredibly laborious process of manufacture and at the same time to achieve the maximum similarity with the dishes of Rishtan, unscrupulous sellers will be able to forge the traditional “ishkor” dishes? If so, how to distinguish fake from the original?

B.N: As you rightly pointed Rishtan is a name that speaks for itself. Once I visited  the store in one of the local markets, and  the seller said to me, “Buy the real Rishtan lagan of the famous  master Bahtiyar Nazirov”. It was more sad than funny. After all, it is obvious to me, when I see the dishes, made not according to traditional techniques. It will be obvious to you, if you know a few details. Look carefully at the real “ishkor” lagan and will see little playing on the light cracks as little wrinkles on the face of cheerful old lady is a trait characteristic of ishkor glaze. On the duplicate of low quality you will see a perfectly smooth background. No echo of nature,only a thick shiny layer of glaze. By the way speaking of shine. Unfortunately,it is achieved by using sometimes an unacceptable percentage of lead in the preparation of glazes. The maximum permissible rate for ceramics is not more than 20% lead. Excess – is harmful for man. That’s why I don’t use lead.Whatever of my work may have bought even if one small bowl, let it will be useful in every sense of the word. And if you decide to buy something reflected glare, hopefully it alerted you more than impress.

Are there other important secrets?

B.N: I try to put my signature at all the work. And here is another little secret I have. When the first layer of glaze is applied to the lowering it into a bowl, I hold it around the edges with my fingers, and then sent to the first firing. After will be painting another layer of glaze and one more firing. And that’s even after that in places where I was holding fingers, there will be my fingerprints. However, barely noticeable, but it will remain. This is my style. Let this not scare you. As well as cracks from river stones is a sign of a manual, multistep work.

What is the specific of making “ishkor” ceramic dishes?

B.N: There are really a lot of nuances. But there is, shall we say, unique features. This is as mentioned above – ishkor glaze. Secondly – this is our unique red clay-Hoki Surkh. It is a living, malleable hears his master and obedient to him. And the technique using the same river rocks,the secrets of proportion and centuries of experience. As you can see, the specificity and uniqueness of the pottery of Rishtan is in its components that we receive from the sun, earth and water-God-given gifts.

What is the specific of making “ishkor” ceramic dishes?

B.N: There are really a lot of nuances. But there is, shall we say, unique features. This is as mentioned above – ishkor glaze. Secondly – this is our unique red clay-Hoki Surkh. It is a living, malleable hears his master and obedient to him. And the technique using the same river rocks,the secrets of proportion and centuries of experience. As you can see, the specificity and uniqueness of the pottery of Rishtan is in its components that we receive from the sun, earth and water-God-given gifts.

What’s the hardest thing in the manufacturing process?

B.N.  Each phase is responsible and that is the point. But I can say which one is the most unpredictable. It is the roasting.The fact that two dishes equally colored in same mixture of glaze and simultaneously sent into the oven, can get different tone and color. It is sometimes difficult to me explain to customers why of several similar models,one came out well, quite unlike in color to others. Well what can I say? Oven perhaps is as a woman, fickle in their desires.

Your style is not only a traditional technique, but the traditional form?

B.N.  Love to create previously widely used form.They are not popular among young masters. But these forms look so harmonious in combination with a centuries-old technique used by traditional Rishtan masters. Although I must admit I am inspired by different cultures, but something I just think of myself.

What’s the hardest thing in the manufacturing process?

B.N: Each phase is responsible and that is the point. But I can say which one is the most unpredictable. It is the roasting.The fact that two dishes equally colored in same mixture of glaze and simultaneously sent into the oven, can get different tone and color. It is sometimes difficult to me explain to customers why of several similar models,one came out well, quite unlike in color to others. Well what can I say? Oven perhaps is as a woman, fickle in their desires.

Your style is not only a traditional technique, but the traditional form?

B.N: Love to create previously widely used form.They are not popular among young masters. But these forms look so harmonious in combination with a centuries-old technique used by traditional Rishtan masters. Although I must admit I am inspired by different cultures, but something I just think of myself.

The master does not stop on its laurels and travel a lot with his “ceramic family”. He is inspired, he meets and disappoints, but it’s always an experience for the new creations. The only thing the master is categorical, so it is in compliance with the rules of strict canons in the production of his masterpieces. He just can not, and will not chase the fashion, to seek out the trend colors and forms. He is not like everyone else. He and his dishes, so unique in its kind, made to health of body and soul of man.

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CERAMIC
The process of production of the pottery or porcelain products bases on three main stages: forming, painting and roasting. All stages suppose hand labor. Therefore repeated work saving main features will include slight distinctions from original sample in shades, weight, form and painting as a result of hand labor.

Piala–  small bowl without handles widening to the top. Piala is traditional kind of cup for the tea in the East.

Lagan –big plate with low borders traditionally used in Uzbekistan for serving hot meals.

Point technique is one of the laborious of contemporary techniques in pottery painting. The difficulty of the technique is that every point of the pattern should be put by the craftsman separately. Every point is a part of colorful and diverse pattern.

Pomegranate is traditional symbol in art of Uzbekistan, which symbolizes fertility, welfare and love in the family.

Islimi– kind of herbal pattern. The distinctive feature of “islimi” style in wood carving is disposition of pattern above the background that looks like lace covering the thing.

Girikh-kind of the pattern in east art represented as geometric forms with crossing lines, knots and points

Abrband- manual technique of making  tissues in Uzbekistan. This technique is well known in the world under Indonesian word “ikat”. This technology includes about 40 stages. The uniqueness of abrband  technique doesn`t allow to create two identical fabrics.

WOOD CARVING

The ordered sample can have differences with original in natural shades of wood and slight distinctions in sizes and forms in the elements of the pattern. In case  if the work added with hand painting, saving main features the product will include some distinctions in details of painting.

Pargori–kind of relief carving . Pargori is based on the thin carving of the geometric net with circles, squares and triangles.

Abru bakhor– technique originated in Bukhara and translated as “spring clouds”. The essence is that drawing creating through mixing of different colors. As the result it is reached marble shades with smooth and at the same time unpredictable transitions from one color to another. The sources tell that the backgrounds in abru bakhor technique were used as a base for the decrees of the emir of Bukhara and for the book covers. Over time abru bakhor was adopted by India, Iran and Turkey and became very popular to XV-XVII centuries. An important role in saving and improving of the technique have played the artists of Uzbekistan and Turkey.

Chizma or chikma –pottery drawing technique supposed a formation of the pattern on the wet clay. The difficulty of the process is in the skills of the craftsman  to create a pattern with mathematic   thoughtful in short gap of the  time while the clay is wet. 

Kandakori – kind of hand stamping with the deep relief. The depth of the pattern is usually about 0,5 mm to 3 mm.

METAL STAMPING 

The ordered sample can have differences with original in shades of metal and slight distinctions in sizes and forms of the elements of the pattern. In case  if the work added with hand painting saving main features the product will include some distinctions in details of painting.

Adras– hand weaved fabric consisted 50% from silk and 50% from cotton. Adras gives cool in summer and warmth in cold weather.

Abrband–  manual  technique of making  tissues in Uzbekistan. This technique is well known in the world under Indonesian word “ikat”. This technology includes about 40 stages. The uniqueness of abrband  technique doesn`t allow to create two identical fabrics.

THE FABRICS IN ABRBAND TECHNIQUE AND EDGINGS MATERIALS

As there are no two people with similar fingerprint so the handmade fabrics in “abrband” technique impossible to repeat.  In this regard please take into account that in description of the product with using “abrband” fabrics is noted the dominant color of the product. In preparing of repeated sample will be used the dominant color of original product.  Construction of the pattern, secondary colors and shades could differ from original product.

In case of using of “djiyak”- hand weaved ribbon in making of the ordered product “djiyak”- will have similar color features with original. The pattern of each “djiyak” is inimitable.

The craftsmen can use for additional decoration vintage fabrics and accessories as unique samples. In such cases the order will be made in the maximum accordance with declared options and selection of the similar fabrics and accessories.

CARPETS

Due to the hand coloring of the threads for the carpets the ordered sample saving the main features allows differences from original in shades and details of the pattern.

Batik– technique of hand painting on tissue. From Indonesian “batik” means “to cover with drops”.

Batik

The products made in batik technique suppose hand drawing. Due to this aspect the ordered sample saving the main features allows differences from original in shades, details and forms of the pattern as a result of hand labor and uniqueness of each order.

Simurg – fantastic bird in mythology of the people of Central Asia and Iran. Simurg is a symbol of justice and happiness. The image of Simurg is associated with the good patronage.

Kosa– deep bowl without handles. Traditionally it serves for hot light plats.

Text

Afrosiab–  an ancient name of the north part of Samarkand, also well known as Marakanda.

Tumor – an ancient shape of guarding amulet. As usual a pray sewed into the tumor.

Suzani– hand embroidered textile. Suzani is one of the most ancient crafts in Uzbekistan.

Miniature- special kind of fine art presenting illustrations of historical war battles, hunting and feasts.In old days in the East the books and manuscripts as a rule illustrated by the miniatures. The plots of miniatures are eloquent. The only one illustration can tell the whole story. The father of Uzbek school of miniature is Kamoloddin Bekhzad.

Iroki– technique of hand embroidery made by cross or half-cross stich with twisted thread. which makes the surface grainy.Composition in iroki technique fills with the pattern all working area not leaving even a piece of free tissue. Every stich so flawless what creates impression of the  print on the cloth.  Predominantly iroky is used by the masters of Shakhrizabs.

HAND EMBROIDERY-SUZANI

Due to the hand coloring of the threads for embroideries the ordered sample saving the main features allows differences  from original in shades and details of the pattern. The fabric used as the basis for embroidery is colored manually and can also include differences in shades of color.