Tovolgyi

Katalin Tovolgyi ceramic designer

Katalin Tovolgyi (Katalin Tóvölgyi) was born 22 March, 1948 in Budapest. She was introduced to art from an early age. Her mother, Renée Redner started as a golden avant-garde fine-artist, but in the socialist era her art was considered prohibited and exhibiting her works was banned but she continued producing art throughout her life. Katalin Tovolgyi’s father was an architect. Her brother, who was a down to earth person and a talented engineer – was fascinated by her sister’s talent and – he supported Katalin’s career all his life.

Katalin Tovolgyi began her professional studies at the High School of Fine and Applied Arts, later graduated from the Hungarian College of Applied Arts (today: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design) with a degree in ceramic design in 1973, as a student of Árpád Csekovszky. Frigyes Pogány, György Jánossy and Imre Földes had the greatest influence on her artistic development. She taught ceramics at the Vocational High School of Crafts, and she held ceramics courses. She was a founding member of the Studio of Young Designers (FISE). She participated in large international exhibitions such as the VII. Biennale Internationale de Céramique d’Art de Vallauris, Triennale di Milano (1973) and 38st Concorso Internationale della Ceramica d’Arte (1980).

There are few ceramic artists as versatile as Tovolgyi. She loves to renew herself by trying new ideas and experimenting with new techniques. Her artistic career is so diverse that it’s almost impossible to tell from two series that they are from the same artist. Unlimited creativity and the combination of several high quality techniques are found in her artworks.

Creative Phases of Katalin Tovolgyi

Embossings

1974 – 1989

Throwing is experiencing the Creation on the palm. Working on the potter’s wheel – if we closely investigate a workphase, like a piece of material under the lens of a microscope – may open new dimensions for us. The surface of the round and thrown form is shown outstreched. The 3D object became more like a 2D stripped relief.

Face pots

1988 – 1992

An other extension of throwing and playing with the surface of pots. The ancient figurative genre appears in these artworks. This was the beginning of dealing with different characters. The white faces are thrown by porcelain. The dark faces were inspired by the South Slavic war.

Platters

1992 – 2005

These platters are made of various surfaces. This technique is the opposite of the one used by Embossings or Face pots, the 2D turns into 3D by bending the layer into a platter. Organic forms, ancient symbols and stamps are used for these platters. They are perfect decorations and useful for living rooms or offices.

Hanging masks

2004 – 2018

The human face is the main characteristic of our personality and individuality. We can never be independent of all those around us or unrelated to our ancestors. They live in us – even if we wear our face as a mask. We are made up of many of them and fill them out with our extras. This phase is technically evolved from previous phases.

Figurative sculptures

From 2007

Tovolgyi - Hawk mating on the fallen leaves

Figurative sculptures unfold the philosophy behind Hanging masks even more. The psychology and the technique are become more complex. Such as civilization and green thinking, age particularities and family relationships are shown on the same artwork. Rough and dark surface reflects the destructive emotional state. And so on… The meaning of these artworks are different for everyone.

“My unique technique, with the flat plane turning into a three dimensional space, therefore allowing us to look the artwork from different viewpoints and see different aspects, gives expression to the universality and complexity of how the meaning of a single concept transforms through different viewpoints. It also represents how our perception is limited and we can observe only a few of all the dimensions. These views – though often clashing, finally complete each other and together form the whole.”

Latest figurative sculptures

Nerikomi / Agateware Platters

From 2018

Tovolgyi - Cylinder Box with top nerikomi style

Ware made by combining differently coloured clays or by combing different colours of mass. This is an ancient technique was popular in Egypt, China and through the Romans to the West. In England this was referred to as agatware. Nerikomi is a contemporary Japanese term. In the former method the clays were usually laid in slabs, one on the other, and beaten out to form a homogeneous mass in which the colours were inextricably mingled. This pottery technique is suitable for precise, thought out patterns, and also for free random effects. Katalin was inspired by Dorothy Feibleman, a master of the technique.