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Retorto del Alfarero is Spanish for The Potter's Retort. But "retort", not only in the sense of a reply.
Retort is the name (still used in the chemistry lab) given by the ancient Alchemists to the vessels they utilized to perform "experiments" that sought to turn base elements into gold.
In recent times, Alchemy has been understood less as pseudo-science and more as esoteric metaphor for the journey of the soul's transformation-- psychologically and spiritually-- as it suffers through the vicissitudes of its earthly stay.
In fact, every ceramic vessel reflects the "alchemical" process and is, itself, a metaphor for transformation. It journeys from wet, plastic clay through the pressures of throwing and shaping-- sets into bone-dry fragility before being fired into sturdier "bisque ware", then once glazed, it is "vitrified" at a very high temperature, again, in the kiln.
Sometimes precious metal "lustres" are added in yet another firing. When finally cool to the touch, hopefully the vessel has achieved the proper degree of beauty and purpose: an object that is both a pleasure to look upon and to handle-- and the closest thing to eternal that craftsmen may produce, archaeologically speaking, at least.
Retorto del Alfarero offers "transformational vessels" that are visually alluring and made to be useful in daily life. Each one-of-a-kind object seeks to remind us that we too, are in the process of being refined, ourselves-- forged by the fires of our history and life experience into more graceful and purposeful and perhaps compassionate "vessels,” each one of us unique and entirely individual.
Will Scheffer
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