Summer Delights by Manos Kalamenios

London-based ceramicist Manos Kalamenios offers a rich and unexpected experience of ceramics to you through his work. All traditional perceptions of ‘porcelain’ or ‘bone-china’ are transformed when you come face to face with these surprising surfaces, textures, and formats of clay.

Manos constantly experiments with his recipe of colours and materials to produce stunning pieces. Continue reading to discover more about Manos’s journey–from being a talented chef to a celebrated ceramicist…

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

Manos is a recognised chef working in distinguished establishments such as the Four Seasons hotel in London. After peaking in his career, he decided to pursue his passion for design and ceramics. His appetite for ceramics heightened after completing a BA in Fine Art, which led him to study a Ceramics MA at the Royal College of Art in London. He now has his own studio where he continues to create experimental works.

Manos is determined to push the boundaries of technique and materiality when it comes to ceramics. His culinary skills and knowledge play a major part in the development of ideas and themes within his studio. Thus, fueling an organic breakdown between his professions.

Amoeba Series © Inge Clemente, Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

Amoeba Series

The Amoeba series takes inspiration from the medieval tiles found on the banks of the River Thames. The tiles are made up of hidden coloured layers as a result of carbon and the reduction in the atmosphere during firing. Manos has created a series of ceramic pieces using similar methods to this but with a contemporary twist, adding a blend of hues and abstract molding techniques.

Textures and patterns are also crucial for me, using techniques and processes which are unorthodox in the ceramics environment can lead me to new and exciting outcomes. I was never interested in traditional pottery, or doing things the way they have always been done.

– Manos Kalamenios

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

The colour theory and the effects colour can have on us was the main theme for the Amoeba Series. Manos carried out an in-depth research of colour, adding more colours and colour combinations to his ceramics. Overall, he found that by applying the Amoeba treatment to simple forms was the most effective for his design process as you can appreciate the colours better.

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

The experimentation process for Manos is very important, he demonstrates that he freely allows the material and testing to dictate the overall design of the pieces. He enjoys mixing materials and chemicals which are not usually compatible, often leading to new findings.

It is all about the journey and not the destination – it is the process and the making that interest me. I see myself as an alchemist, exploring the endless possibilities of materials; my practice is one of ontological enquiry.

– Manos Kalamenios

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

Amoeba Series © Manos Kalamenios

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