Ceramics Artists Community of Siklós

The ceramics symposia organised in Siklós since 1969 with the cooperation of ceramics artists were the first of their kind in Hungary. The active artists group, often featuring international artists, worked continuously in planning the establishment of a ceramics artists community.

After the lengthy work of preparation, the collaboration of the Baranya County Council and the local council, the National Inspectorate of Historic Monuments and the National Arts Fund led to the opening of the ceramics artists' community in 1984, in the environment of the former Franciscan cloister renewed and reconstructed for this purpose, and now a national monument. The building, gradually taken over by earlier symposia, has a special atmosphere.

Presently one wing of the building (cloister) serves as a church, while the other three wings are home to arts. The building, located within the fortress walls and looking out onto the small square in front of the Franciscan church (famous for what are probably the most beautiful gothic wall paintings known from medieval Hungary), only shows the personnel entrance and a few windows – the narrowest side of the building. From a distance, from the bottom of the fortress hill from the south, one can feel the size and discover the beauty of the cloister constructed in one single block with the outer walls of the Siklós fortress and the defence bastions (Perényi garden).

The ground floor of the building, of medieval origin but enlarged in the 18th century, is open to any visitor. Going across the closed inner court surrounded by a Baroque ambulatory sealed off by a glass wall, in the former refectory one can see an exhibition made from the art works created during the symposia. The rest of the cloister is not open to the public, as it is reserved for undisturbed artistic activity.

The old cells were transformed into firing chambers and pottery workshops, while the attic provides accommodation for the artists, as well as space for a library and the complete documentation of the artistic activity. Among the thick medieval walls discovered by archaeologists, in the cellar of the cloister, the clay preparation room can be found. Here, in addition to the processing of the clay and porcelain mass brought from the factories, the compilation of various individual clay mixtures takes place.

The motivation behind the creation of the Ceramics Artists Community was to allow artists to experiment with different technologies and techniques. The artists working here have worked out and started a number of action plans. In industrial arts it was ceramics arts that proved to be most viable. The buildings of several schools, kindergartens, hotels and theatres are ornamented by pieces of artthat were created here.

The “Siklós house” of the region has organically joined the series of ceramics biennials started in Pécs in 1968 and the professional activity of the Zsolnay factory. At the ceramics symposia of Siklós, Imre Schrammel – a leading character in the profession – and his friends and students, and also a large number of other artists have created valuable pieces of work.

Presently a summer art school is operated by the artists community, which is open to anybody interested in this branch of art. The courses usually last for three weeks, and they feature renowned experts who help the participants become acquainted with the different activities in ceramics arts.

Visiting time:

• from early May until the end of October,

• on preliminary registration.

Information, contact:

Réka Váczy

Director, Baranya Megyei Alkotótelepek Nonprofit Kht. (Baranya County Artists Communities Ltd.)

Tel: +36 30 502 0401

Address: Ferences Rendház 2, Vajda J. Square, Siklós.