Partenope Volcanic Glazed Egg

DESCRIPTION

Studying the chemical composition of the two materials (porcelain and lava) Francesco Pace noticed that they partially share a similar chemical composition. Through this observation, he arrived at the idea to treat the Lava as a ceramic material. During the firing, the two structure bond together and the final results is a stronger new material. This close-up shows the first working results of almost one-year experimentation.

The investigation of alternative solutions through the study of folklore and natural events is one of the key elements of Tellurico’s practice. This project, “Telluride”, presents the first results of specific material research that looks into the possibilities of using volcanic rocks as a combined element with porcelain clay and high-firing glazing.

One of the reasons why It has been chosen the egg as shape to work with is that in a Neapolitan legend, the mermaid Partenope, broken-hearted after Ulysses resists her charms, laid an egg before dying on the peninsula of Megaride; lately the egg was discovered by the poet and alchemist Virgilio and then hidden under the Castrum Lucullanum (now Castel dell’Ovo) to avoid it falling into the wrong hands. The egg contains all the beauty of the city, which would crumble if the egg would break.