Thanks to artistic movements like Urban Art and Street Art, art has ceased to be something for the privileged  few and is now part of our lives; art is taking to the street and becoming an increasingly powerful means of expression. Can we go farther? Can we bring art into our homes? Can art be connected to interior design and decoration? These were the questions Bathco set out to answer with the Bathco Atelier initiative, a studio for artistic creation and experimentation. There, eight multidisciplinary artists work on the company’s washbasins, piece by piece, in interventions that transform them into works of art.

We talk to the director of the studio, Emeric Minaya.

What is Bathco Atelier trying to do?

This is a completely innovative project in the bathroom ceramics industry; the studio was founded for the purpose of linking product development to the world of culture and art. This meant setting up a new area in the company in which eight artists have had the opportunity to express their way of experiencing and living art.

What was your first contact with this new “canvas” like?

We’ve had the chance to “play” with the ceramics, study the material, and test ideas in situ. A totally enriching experience for the artists, for whom we have uncovered an entire world of possibilities. Bathco is a project that has made it possible to multiply this aspect exponentially. The result of all this experimentation is a collection of 14 pieces that are now on the market and which reflect the essence of each artist.

What did you find most surprising about working with ceramics?

It has nothing to do with work in “cold” media. In other words, with painting on a canvas or any other type of material or media that doesn’t involve heat. Ceramic work is directly linked to the kiln. And that means that you always have to be ready for the unexpected. No matter how many tests you run, the behaviour of the materials and pigments in the kiln always represents uncertainty for the artist and, at the same time, that’s what makes this a fun job that’s all about creation and experimentation.

What was the result of this research?

The result of this experimentation phase, in which the eight artists currently involved in the studio participated, was unique. We discovered that while we could apply an infinite number of materials to intervene in the porcelain, there was one thing that we neither could nor should do without: the ancient craft of artisanal decoration.We literally recovered an almost ancestral technique; it was the only way to guarantee the durability of the washbasins coming out of Bathco Atelier.

What materials or techniques can be applied to working with porcelain washbasins?

As I said, although we couldn’t avoid using ceramic paints, we discovered the infinite possibilities for experimentation that porcelain has to offer. One very interesting example is modelling and the application of materials or structures directly on the porcelain. Materials like glass, clay, or metal particles that then become part of the piece thanks to the possibilities the firing process gives us. In other words, the fusion of the materials to the ceramic as the result of direct application of fire. This guarantees greater durability than what any chemical product could give us.

What is the most surprising thing about this studio?

There is an aspect of the work being done at Bathco Atelier that is really challenging, and Bathco is making a very strong commitment to it. The company provides the opportunity for interior designers, architects, and specialised clients to use the studio as a space for creation; that means that they can work with us, the studio artists, in order to create customised items for their bathroom design projects. These jobs would be based on the development of murals on tile to lend continuity to the designs applied to the washbasins.