Automatism is an important surrealist technique of the 20th century involving spontaneous writing, drawing, or the like practiced without conscious aesthetic or moral self-censorship. In order to express the unconscious state of mind, all conscious th...
Automatism is an important surrealist technique of the 20th century involving spontaneous writing, drawing, or the like practiced without conscious aesthetic or moral self-censorship. In order to express the unconscious state of mind, all conscious thoughts are restricted. Such a state of mind is applied to painting, drawing and also to literature in addition to a wide range of other disciplines.
Automatism eliminates the significance of Dadaism and it began from the efforts to maximize the effect of coincidence, inspired by Freud's psychological analysis, the notion was developed by surrealists using the unconscious state of mind, mysteriousness, dreams, madness, etc, influencing even abstract surrealism that was to follow. The unconscious state of mind reflected in automatism allow imagination to develop on its own without any restraint. In other words, the fountain of imagination flows abundantly if the mind is freed from any mental restrain allowing to develop at its own cause.
Therefore all forms of creativity is largely dependent on the emotion and state of mind of the maker and it is this that is reflected in individual artworks. This study focuses on precisely this point and it studies the harmony of lines created through consciousness and coincidence. New images are produced, found and possibly re-interpreted with meanings and imaginations. Rather than planning and calculating the work, the mind is left to follow the hand allowing it to flow freely. At the same time, the inherent characteristics of clay as a material has been examined closely. Existing boundaries are overstepped to find a new chapter in ceramic art and also to experiment with the limit of clay as a material for creative expression.
To conduct the study, research work was done on the theoretical aspects of automatism, looking at its concepts and formative interpretations. Along the same lines, the psychological aspects of the unconscious mind has been examined. The works of Masson, Arp, Miro, Chirico, Ernst and Dali were studied closely. Finally the images for the artworks relating to automatism have been included in the study.
In the process of making the clay works, expressions typical of automatism were re-interpreted, including its mental qualities, in addition to the freedom of the imaginative world.
The work was made using the coiling, pinching, sculpting and wheel-throwing techniques in ceramics. Mostly stoneware clays such as the white, san-white and another white stoneware clay with iron oxide, were used. These stoneware clays are plastic in quality and easy to manipulate for organic shapes. Many quartz based glazes were used to decorate the surface. In them, cobalt oxide, copper carbonate, nickel, manganese oxide and iron oxide were added in different percentages. To make a difference in effect, some pieces were painted with color stains, oxides and slips before glazing. The glaze were applied on to the surface in a number of methods - brushed, sponged, dipped and sprayed. The first bisquit firings were conducted in 0.5㎥ and 1.5㎥ gas kilns, fired to 800℃ in 8 hours. The second firings were done in a 1.5㎥ gas kiln. This took 15 hours reaching a temperature of 1250℃. Both oxidation and reduction firings were done.
Through the study and research on automatism, clay proved to be an apt material in expressing the qualities embedded in this particular form of art. Imaginative and unconscious expressions were shown by interpreting elements of the human figure and facial expressions. The work is an open-ended interpretation of these two factors. Automatism is an interesting subject in understanding the self and the self's inner world. It was most appropriate for expressing the hidden psyche. Clay allowed the maker to carry some of the serious inner psychology, as it is a material that can easily be molded into the character of the maker. The study process of this research is comparable to a self-journey, attempting to overstep existing boundaries in order to progress
into a new realm - a continued search for the self. The study hopes to contribute to all those interested in working with automatism. Moreover, it has opened a start in this genre to discover more possibilities for future development. The study endeavors to find new forms of expression in ceramic art.