Myrto Zirini Ceramics is a contemporary ceramics workshop and showroom of one-of-a-kind pieces in the Mouragia area of Corfu Town.
After taking a break from architecture, Myrto rediscovered her passion and creative drive in ceramics. She found with clay that she regained her dexterity, balance and freedom of expression. Myrto is currently working with organic, fluid forms rough and smooth textures.
“I mainly hand-build organic and asymmetrically shaped vessels. I play with contrasting textures and colours, and I work in a way to capture, like in a snapshot, the dynamic movement of the malleable clay body. The forms I make often have resemblance to natural organic forms such as pebbles, cocoons, cells or micro-organisms. The space that becomes visible, the void in and around the physical piece, obtains importance and presence, the concave inner part of a bowl makes this space more visible and I am extra careful to make sure these curves are uninterrupted, as if the force of gravity was not present while I was working on it.
I often like to think of my pieces deriving from the smoothing process of the rough stones that are endlessly being moved and chiselled by the force of the waves.
I also like to think of each vessel as a unique shape that carries the specific characteristics and information gathered at the time of its’ making. I work on each piece over and over again as the clay dries more and more. The plasticity of the clay allows for a dynamic formation of its shape, and in a way I am trying to freeze a specific movement that once was possible but then was petrified, like a fossil tells the story of a moment in time.” Myrto Zirini
Photo by: Black Dog Productions
Outlets
Myrto doesn’t sell wholesale, but in addition to her Corfu workshop/showroom selected items of her work can be found at the Ancient Greek Sandals flagship store, in 1 Kolokotroni Street, Athens (https://www.ancient-greek-sandals.com). Her soap dishes can also be found at the historical Patounis soap factory in Corfu Town (http://patounis.gr). Occasionally she takes part in exhibitions and pop-up stores.
Myrto Zirini
ΜSc Arch, Advanced Architectural Studies, Bartlett UCL London
BA (Hons) Interior and Spatial Design, UAL, Chelsea College of Art
She studied interior design and architecture in London where she also worked for 3 years. In 2004 she returned to her home city of Athens and worked within architecture and design in multiple areas – urban/public spaces, architecture and interior design (with aka lab architects) down to the smaller scales of exhibitions, furniture and graphic design. She has also taught at the MA interior design course at Vakalo Art & Design College in Athens. She moved to Corfu in 2012.