A MORNING WITH BLACK CLAY
Community Event
Sunday, September 7th, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Ribolhos Black Clay Workshop (Former Primary School)
Ribolhos (Castro Daire)
Programme:
10:00 a.m.: Black clay walking tour led by potter Jorge Ferreira
11:00 a.m.: Opening of the art installation ‘Dreamtigers’ by Ana Carucci (Argentina)
11:30 a.m.: Opening of the new contents of the Black Clay Workshop
12:00 p.m.: Black clay moulding experience with potter Jorge Ferreira.
In September 2023, the Black Clay Workshop was inaugurated in one of the rooms of the former primary school in the village of Ribolhos (Castro Daire), a space for interpreting a craft tradition rooted in this small village, located next to National Road No. 2. This space was curated by Marta Carvalhal, Luís Costa and Jorge Ferreira, with the close collaboration of two Portuguese Government initiatives: the National Saber Fazer Programme and the National Arts Plan.
The black clay of Ribolhos reached its peak during the last century, thanks to a group of master craftsmen specialising in both utilitarian and decorative pieces which, in order to achieve their characteristic black colour, were subjected to a firing process known as soenga. Today, there is a potter who is the direct heir to the ancient tradition, Jorge Ferreira, born in the village, who continues to produce pottery pieces, using the Black Clay Workshop to promote his work.
In recent weeks the argentine artist in residence Ana Carucci has been working intensively at the Black Clay Workshop, reflecting on the concept of the usefulness of ceramics and its expansion into the world of sound. Can pieces that produce a varied range of sounds be considered useful, as were the pots, pans and bowls produced and sold until decades ago?
The event ‘A Morning with Black Clay’ aims to be a diverse social context in which the participating public can join the local community to share memories, learn together and get to know the places and stories of Ribolhos’ black clay.
The event is completely free, however, anyone wishing to participate in the black clay route must register for free by emailing info@binauralmedia.org. There will be a small snack at the end of the route.
Technical and artistic details:
A co-production between Binaural Nodar, the Municipality of Castro Daire, through the Municipal Library, and the Union of Parishes of Mamouros, Alva and Ribolhos.
An event integrated into the activities of Rede Tramontana, a project co-financed by the European Union’s Creative Europe Programme.
Artistic installation: Ana Carucci
Binaural Nodar is a cultural organization supported by the Portuguese Republic – Culture, Youth, and Sports | Directorate-General for the Arts.