Asymmetrical Stoneware Soliflore by Derek Rowe for Underground Pottery, Australia, 1980s

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Description

This stoneware bud vase by Derek Rowe transports us to the other side of the world, to a small mining … Read more This stoneware bud vase by Derek Rowe transports us to the other side of the world, to a small mining town in the Australian desert where pottery was made… underground.

with its slender silhouette and gently sloping opening, it plays on a particularly striking contrast between the natural tones of the clay and the intensity of its interior glaze, a deep blue tinged with turquoise. Its surface, worked in shades of sand, ochre, and brown, is adorned with delicate branches punctuated by small berries. The vegetal motif blends with the irregularities of the clay, while a long, raised vertical line accentuates its unique profile.

But the story of this vase is just as interesting as its form!

It is the work of Derek Rowe, an Australian ceramicist from Coober Pedy, a remarkable mining town in the Outback, known for its opals and cave dwellings. In this region where summer temperatures can exceed 45°C, living underground has long been a way to protect oneself from the heat.

It was there that, in 1982, his parents, Peter and Konnie Rowe, transformed their underground dwelling into a ceramics workshop and exhibition gallery. A true creative space nestled in the heart of the desert, where Derek would, in turn, practice the craft of pottery.

The inscription "Coober Pedy Underground Pottery," stamped under the base alongside his signature, thus takes on a very particular meaning. There's nothing metaphorical about this "Underground": the potters truly worked underground!

An unusual provenance, a beautiful freedom of form, and a whole piece of the Australian Outback's artisanal history are brought together in this ceramic piece.

The vase is in excellent condition.

Height: 25.5 cm
Diameter: 6.5 cm This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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