Ceramic Experience in Corfu: Create a Protective Medusa Relief
Description
Step into a working ceramics studio in the historic centre of Corfu Town and discover a different way of working with clay.
Inspired by findings from the Archaeological Museum of Corfu, this hands-on workshop explores how mould-based ceramic techniques were once used to create ceramic reliefs that travelled across the Mediterranean carrying symbols, stories, and protective imagery.
Many of these objects were more than decorative. They were designed to deter, repel, and impose presence, with the image of Medusa being one of the most striking examples.
For a couple of hours, you are invited to step into what we imagine was the role of an apprentice working in a productive pottery workshop in ancient Corfu, learning through repetition, working with your hands, and participating in a shared process of making.
Extra information
During this guided 2-hour experience, you will work with clay using hand-building techniques. Using moulds developed in our studio and inspired by objects found in the local museum, you will create a ceramic relief by choosing from one of two Medusa-inspired portraits or one female portrait. At the end of the session, you will release your piece from the mould to reveal the final relief. No prior experience is needed.
The piece you create during the workshop will remain in the studio after the session, becoming part of the ongoing Medusa Exchange Project. In return, you will receive a fired ceramic piece created by a previous participant, carefully prepared and safely packaged for travel. In this way, each object quietly continues its journey from one traveler to another, inspired by the movement of ceramic objects traded across the Mediterranean throughout antiquity. Every exchanged piece is handmade and unique, with natural variations in form, texture, and detail.
This is a small-group workshop with:
- a minimum of 4 participants
- a maximum of 6 participants
The small group size allows for a calm, focused, personal and relaxed atmosphere. The workshop takes place in the backstage area of an active ceramics studio, in a historic building, a working environment filled with tools, clay, shelves, and fragile ongoing projects. It is designed as a chance to slow down, work with your hands, and connect with a material that has shaped everyday life on the island for millennia.
- The workshop lasts approximately 2 hours
- Comfortable clothing is recommended
- Aprons are provided
- Clay may mark clothing during the process
- The studio has two resident cats
- Access to the workshop space involves a narrow staircase and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible
- Recommended age: 16+
- Late arrival may result in missing the session, so please allow enough time to reach the studio, especially during busy summer periods
- Advance booking is required
- Your booking may initially place a temporary card authorisation
- Final confirmation of the session takes place 48 hours in advance
Cancellation policy:
- 48+ hours before: full refund or no charge
- 24 - 48 hours before: 50% charge or reschedule subject to availability
- Less than 24 hours before or no-show: non-refundable
If a session does not reach the minimum number of participants or must be cancelled for unforeseen reasons, you will be offered:
- a full refund, or
- an alternative date
The workshop instructor is Tatiana Lakhno who is a ceramic artist and instructor based in Corfu. With a background in visual arts and photography, she turned her focus to clay in 2019. In her work, she combines ceramic techniques with inspiration from Mediterranean nature, ancient craft traditions, and mythology. The workshop takes place at Myrto Zirini Ceramics Studio, where participants are invited to explore the working studio and showroom. Myrto Zirini has been a practicing ceramic artist since 2014 and brings a background in design and architecture to her work. She occasionally leads this workshop as instructor.
The studio is located on the ground floor of a historic building at 5 Arseniou Street, along Corfu Town's seafront in the historic center, just a short walk from the Asian Art Museum. https://maps.app.goo.gl/SsRfmF4uSbJTrcWD9