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The Kiln Gods<br />
On their return the wood kiln was loaded for the final firing. They did a little puja<br />
before the kiln and shared prasad. Anjani had made an exotic and weird owl for a<br />
Kiln-God and Milan made a small Ganesha to make offerings to. Round the clock,<br />
a watch was kept on the kiln; stoking the fire, maintaining a log book and poking<br />
the wood in. Potatoes were roasted in the wasted coal, buttered and passed around.<br />
To maintain their morale through their long working hours, everyone sang songs<br />
from their own country in their native languages. Anatolii who barely spoke all day,<br />
surprised everyone when he sang a line from RD Burman’s hit song ‘Awara Hoon.’<br />
Anjani said that “the kiln at the <strong>Art</strong> <strong>Ichol</strong> studio in Maihar, was an unknown creature.<br />
But luckily for us, Latvian artists Eugenia and Anatolii, had a similar kiln in Riga…<br />
built by Frederick Olsen himself.” This provided insights as well as guidance for the<br />
firing process; where they “nursed the fire, taking it really slow, as there was large wet<br />
work in the kiln, which could explode or crack.” They “watched over with anxious<br />
stares…the pyrometer, which registered a fall and rise in temperature each time”<br />
They even “eschewed drinks by the fire” that evening, lest they lose focus!<br />
After an almost eighteen-hour vigil, they saw signs of progress. At last, the wood<br />
fire had breathed life into their work. The potters had been charred, soot-ridden and<br />
even burnt but, they were dedicated until the last. The whole trip was a triumph, but<br />
no victory was greater than the opening of the kiln. It was truly an anxious moment,<br />
knowing if the pots had turned out perfect or not.<br />
Drawn from four continents, these potters successfully transformed clay through fire,<br />
making art in a small town in Central India. When asked if they would do it again<br />
Sandra said: “A definite yes. Residencies take you out of your comfort zone, challenge<br />
you and link you with different cultures and ways of working. For me they refresh my<br />
practice and connect me with wonderful artists from a wide variety of cultures and<br />
countries. Maihar ceramics studio has all this and more. Thank you Ambica….. and<br />
all your staff for a wonderful and unforgettable experience.”<br />
work by anatolii borodkin
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