CRACKED MYTHS SCENARIO

I am also planning to work with my friend, and fellow potter Oska Lappin, to create a surtout display on a dining table size space with plates and cutlery. I am proving the ceramic display and she will provide the beautiful decorated plates echoing the theme of the exhibition.

A ceramic surtout de table or a very grand dining centrepiece usually features a mirrored plate framed by ceramic figures, candelabra and tazzas. The ceramic installation functions as the focal point of a table setting, visually elevating candlelight and floral arrangements. It will be interesting visually to follow these conceits, as I am already aware that the addition of the dining plates to the Cracked Myths figures has made the view considerable more attractive. So tazzas and candelabra it is – my to do list grows ever longer…

A Tazza is a shallow bowl suspended on a decorative support.

Surtout Display Techniques

To exhibit ceramics in the spirit of a traditional surtout de table, artists and curators employ specific display elements: 

  • Reflective Platters: Using mirrored glass, polished metal, or gilded bronze bases to reflect the undersides and intricate glazing of the ceramic objects.
  • Tiered Platforms: Staging vessels and sculptures at varying heights to create architectural depth, echoing historical multi-part centerpieces. 
  • Modular Groupings: Arranging dozens of individual, hand-crafted objects to flow across the surface, treating the entire table as an interconnected installation.