On January 12th, 1999, his 50th birthday,
Anton Krajnc decided to devote the next decade to three- dimensional works.
Having pursued painting and graphics for the past thirty years,
he felt he was ready to accept this newest challenge.
To tell the truth, it's not a completely new field the artist is venturing into.
Krajnc has created and exhibited many small sculptures over the years, and - unique and unusual -
he made his first "interactive" painted sculpture for a One Man Show in Urbino, Italy, in 1998.
It is a carved wood panel with images painted on both sides that are connected by nine painted wooden cubes of varying sizes, which can be removed from the panel and turned before they are reinserted into their "windows", thus subtly altering both images. There is no "front" or "back".
The work, titled "CITTÀ IDEALE", was suspended from the Renaissance ceiling
in the venerable Casa natale di Raffaello (Raphael's birth house).
A much admired centerpiece of the exhibition , it was not for sale...
but made a second Italian appearance in the summer of 2002,
at the Fortress Gallery of Rocca Ubaldinesca di Sassocorvaro,
during the town's special presentation "Incontri con Arte" (Encounters with Art).
In the fall of 1998, Krajnc began to research outdoor kilns
used by Native Americans in the region, and by Mexican artisans.
He experimented with various traditional methods
and then hand-built his own kiln:
The first ever firing was scheduled to coincide with the Winter Solstice, December 21, 1998.
It was a very spiritual and wonderful celebration...
Sparks were flying, as Anton and his friend&neighbour Mickey Cavender stoked the fires,
adding sawdust and horsemanure to get the coveted shiny black color that is not painted on,
that is achieved by a chemical process in the so-called reduction firing,
when the oxygen supply to the fire is cut off, leaving the sawdust mixture to smolder.
(If you would like more info on this particular firing technique, write to: ak-studio@flash.net)
Of course, there were - and still are - many trials and tribulations.
Fire is a "living" thing, clay and water have a life of their own, too.
Their interactions cannot always be predicted.
We've had our share of catastrophes, but as in all good art,
sometimes an accident serves only to make the piece better,
creating an opportunity for something new and fabulous!
But it is still up to the artist to recognize the gift,
accept it and go from there---
Krajnc never runs out of ideas.
WOULDN'T A DOOR OF FIRED CLAY RELIEF PANELS BE FANTASTIC?
OR HOW ABOUT A WALL TO CLIMB?
ARE SPHERES really THE PERFECT SHAPE IN THE UNIVERSE?
What do YOU think?
-- YES, THEY ALSO COME IN BRONZE --
AND SO DO KRAJNC' LATEST INTRIGUING CREATIONS!
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last modified: May 22, 2004
Page prepared by: DAGMAR
ak-studio@flash.net
Copyright© 1997-2004 by Anton Krajnc. In keeping with the spirit of the Internet, all images are for personal, non-commercial use only. But if you are interested in a specific work of art shown in these pages, or want information on others, write to us! (ak-studio@flash.net)
Photography by Anton Krajnc and Dagmar.