Representations of the collective equivalent in contemporary ceramics

Abstract

Research Abstract

This research explores the "Representations of the Collective Equivalent in Contemporary Ceramics." It aims to uncover the aesthetic and philosophical mechanisms employed by the ceramicist to transform stable realistic icons within the collective consciousness into contemporary artistic achievements. The research problem addresses how the artist balances the "specificity of material formation" with the "universality of meaning" imposed by the Collective Equivalent, and how traditional narrativity is displaced in favor of formal and technical systems that engage contemporary thought.

The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach to examine samples of contemporary ceramic works, analyzing them through dimensions of iconic structure, interdisciplinary fusion, and technical discourse. The research reached several key findings, most notably: that the Collective Equivalent in contemporary ceramics has evolved into an "ontological icon" transcending utilitarian function, and that the ceramicist deliberately suppresses "subjectivity" in favor of the "object’s" dominance to achieve democratic reception. The study concludes that the strength of contemporary ceramic work lies in its ability to "defamiliarize the mundane" and exploit the material contradictions of the medium (such as solidity versus liquidity) to redefine the human relationship with objects within a world crowded with contradictions and alienation.