Ceramics Made From Controlled Explosions

Traditional handmade ceramics can be quite time consuming to shape. Luckily, artist Adam Železný has innovated a new production technique for homemade ceramics that significantly speeds up the process. By embedding explosives in lumps of clay and detonating them inside molds, Železný shapes clay into forms almost instantly in a fantastic series of ceramic pieces he calls “The Blast.”

The Blast is a set of ceramics vessels that are shaped by a shockwave induced by controlled detonation. I am using a sophisticated system of explosive charges which – on basis of measurements and tests – determine the final shape of the bowls. As a result, I am presenting a set of different sized bowls which stand on the edge of fine and applied arts. The important point is the act of creation of the bowl. The blast, event, which itself lasts no longer than the actual detonation. A shockwave shaping the bowl is spreading at a supersonic speed and partially imprints itself into the ceramic mass. It is kind of a punk analogy to an industrial porcelain production, isostatic shaping, which is also based on the use of pressure. However with much lower costs and much different result classified as free ceramics.

Of course, the clean up time may be significantly increased by this spectacular process, but at the very least these ceramic pieces put on a great show!

[via Beautiful/Decay]