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©Vassos Stylianou
©Vassos Stylianou
©Vassos Stylianou
©Vassos Stylianou
©Vassos Stylianou

Valentinos Charalambous

Valentinos Charalambous Ceramicist
Contact
Greek, Arabic, English
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+357 99470072
©Vassos Stylianou

From Cyprus to Baghdad

  • • Valentinos has been a ceramicist and teacher since 1952
  • • He draws inspiration from everything around him
  • • His murals, sculptures and bowls are exhibited widely

Valentinos Charalambous is a legendary figure in the field of ceramics in Cyprus. Born in 1929, he followed in his father’s footsteps and took up pottery as a profession. He trained in the United Kingdom and later he was invited to organise the Ceramics Department at Baghdad’s Academy of Fine Arts, where he trained students for almost three decades. Valentinos has received numerous awards for his art and contribution to his craft. He divides his work into three themes: murals, three-dimensional sculptures and large wheel-thrown bowls. His work is recognised in international ceramic art world, defined by its Cypriot identity with clear influences from Middle Eastern cultures.

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©Vassos Stylianou
  • ©Vassos Stylianou
  • ©Vassos Stylianou
  • ©Vassos Stylianou
  • ©Vassos Stylianou
Photo: ©Vassos Stylianou
Bowls

These wheel thrown bowls fired at 1260 degrees celsius were finished with an ash glaze. To do so, Valentinos Charalampous places ash on the surface of the bowls when scorching hot, the ash then fuses with the surface creating patterns.

Height 6 cm
Diameter 12 cm

Photo: ©Vassos Stylianou
Talisman

This sculptural stoneware piece was inspired by symbols and motifs found in Iraqi and Cypriot folklore. The decorative piece is made from heavily grogged stoneware clay and left unglazed after a firing at 1,100 degrees celsius. Grog is used in ceramics to add a gritty texture to the piece.

Diameter 300 cm

Photo: ©Vassos Stylianou
Bowl

This sculptural bowl is built from off-white earthenware clay that has been left unglazed. Valentinos Charalampous has decorated the surface of the bowl with symbols inspired by Iraqi and Cypriot folklore, in part inspired by his 30 years spent teaching in Baghdad, Iraq.

Diameter 25 cm

Photo: ©Vassos Stylianou
Bowl

This round cup dish is made of brown earthenware clay, with tin oxide glaze in layers, and an additional fire copper oxide. The open formed cup has a rounded rim and is decorated with Greek alphabetic characters from a Kavafis poem.

Height 16 cm
Diameter 75 cm

Photo: ©Vassos Stylianou
Bowl

This round sculptural bowl is shaped from earthenware clay and decorated with slips, natural oxides and tin dioxide. The green hued oxides contrast against the darker slip background. The motifs and symbols that adorn the bowl are inspired by those inherent to ancient Mesopotamian folklore found on archaeological sites.

Diameter 50 cm

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