House on Fire by Gerrit Rietveld Academie

The Glazen Huis | 6 – 10 April, 2022

Mid show event on Friday April 8, 16 – until sunset, be welcome!

Glass and ceramics are materials that are not necessarily associated with one another. Both have their own intrinsic properties and characteristics that give each their own singular charm. At first glance, the two do not resemble each other much. However, these materials have a lot in common. While both were born of fire, each responds differently to it: one solidifies in the oven, while the other melts at exactly the same temperature and can subsequently be blown or poured into all kinds of shapes. This is precisely the heart of the matter, namely, that the use of fire is an unmistakable element in the making process.

Students of the Glass and Ceramics departments of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy have teamed up in order to share their respective knowledge of the material and in doing so,  weld their passions together. They achieve this by discovering each other’s practices, experimenting together, and entering into dialogues with one another. In the process of making, the exchange of ideas accompanies different ways of looking at the world. It becomes clear how special it is to be working with these sustainable resources provided to us by the earth at a time in which there are dire shortages.

House On Fire (Elements of Time) is about real encounters within a fictional house. It is a house where love for the material is made central. This abode welcomes old materials and techniques as both innovative and captivating. Perhaps this is the generation that resists the fleeting and the yearning for acceleration. Now sustainability is prioritised, while inspiration ushers forth hope for the future.

Eylem Aladogan and Jens Pfeifer, respective heads of the departments ceramics and glass, have accompanied the students in the conception and realisation of this exhibition.