Ceramic imitating cardboard from Jacques Monneraud’s “Ode to Trompe l’oeil by Giorgio Morandi” – Huge
A quick look at Jacques Monneraud’s containers gives the impression of a relaxing crafting time, with cardboard tubes and layered cutouts covered with Scotch tape. Maybe they are models for larger works, or just interesting experiments with cheap materials. But look closer and you’ll find there’s much more to these ships than initially meets the eye. That is, they are actually ceramic.
Monaro in progress carton The series explores the relationship between materials and perception. He mixed three types of clay and then used a pottery wheel to throw out the core shape. When the shapes dry to a leathery consistency, he trims where needed and refines outlines and edges, creating tiny details that give the illusion of paper cuts.
Achieving corrugated detail is one of the most time-consuming and labor-intensive processes, and Monneraud accomplishes this by pressing handmade wooden tools into the clay to create a series of triangular indentations. When all the pieces come together, it looks like pieces of cardboard held together with adhesive. In fact, each container is completely waterproof and they are sure not to wrinkle or warp!
The artist has recently conceived a series of compositions that celebrate the subtle and playful oil paintings of Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964). The Italian artist is best known for his soft ceramic still lifes in which perspective, light and shadow create subtle compositions. He paid particular attention to the relationship between volume and line, often organizing items so that their tops all aligned, or various elements seemed to blend into the details of other containers.
In the current exhibition at Monaro Life, still. , Morandi’s work on display in Brussels provides a starting point for trompe l’oeil ceramics. Jugs, vases, jars and other shapes imitate the style of Morandi’s oil paintings, revisiting the painter’s “cocideta real estate,” or “so-called reality.” A statement from Monarod’s show said he was interested in the concept that “the meaning lies not in the subject itself, but in the way of observing it.”
Life, still. Open every Saturday during November at 38 Quai du Commerce, Brussels. Find more information on Monneraud’s Instagram.
