Ceramics are often overlooked within modernist design, but for me it is one of the most convincing mediums within art. What draws me in is the material itself: the variation in texture, the depth of the glazes, and the way a surface can shift from raw to refined within a single piece. That becomes clear at Keramis. The Centre of Ceramics is built around the former Boch faience factory, where industrial production and more refined ceramic work developed side by side. A large Boch collection is presented alongside a strong selection of mid-century and contemporary ceramics, complemented by a programme of artist residencies, with artists working on site and developing new pieces in direct relation to the material and its history.

For me, the strongest presence is Pierre Caille. Caille trained as a painter and worked at the Boch workshop before turning to ceramics. He used pottery, glazed earthenware, enamel and stoneware to create figures with a naïve and direct character. His work is reduced and avoids unnecessary detail. You see this immediately in the pieces on display, from the large head in the cafeteria to the sculptures placed inside one of the former kilns. The setting is strong, especially the kilns, but it is not what stays. Caille does, at least for me. Keramis is worth a visit, I will return ...

→  Pierre Caille in the Maison Moderniste Collection