Sustainability in ceramics
“Ceramic products are extremely widely used in the world, and by using them we are contributing to a long-term, sustainable consumption that can benefit several generations of consumers,” says Rokas Dovydėnas, an artist, designer and researcher at the Vilnius Academy of Arts’ Entrepreneurship Programme. The participant of the InoAcademy project is one of the most appreciated Lithuanian contemporary ceramic artists, who presented his work at this year’s Dutch Design Week.
Sustainability in furnace tiles production
In order to create a long-lasting and durable design solution, the researcher started to look into the sustainability of furnace tiles production. The author has successfully structured his knowledge while working on this project. The designer’s main objective is to simplify the tools and technologies used today, replacing them with more efficient, adaptive and faster tools and technologies that can be used in today’s world. Dovydėnas chose a 3D clay printer for this purpose. “Even though I had the same knowledge of ceramic printing as I had of modeling furnace tiles, I needed to combine them to achieve the goal,” says the designer. Sustainability is the main focus of the research, moving away from traditional methods and replacing them with ones that are much more environmentally friendly. In a sense, greener than before, without creating additional pollution.
Digital furnace tiles for the first time in Lithuania
“There have never been any projects of this kind in Lithuania before, we are the first,” says the researcher. Compared to conventional ceramic production projects, many functions have been digitised. It is possible to improve, adapt, exchange and realise the work remotely. In today’s world, this project is attractive because of its ability to change quickly, to respond to the customer’s wishes and to implement projects remotely.
The system developed can be adapted and used not only in the researcher’s work, but also in the work of many other authors. Therefore, regardless of whether the project is continued or whether funding for further technological development is obtained, the knowledge will remain and will continue to be used.
The Entrepreneurship Programme is the perfect environment to engage in research and to realise objectives. “In addition to my work as a researcher, I also work as a teacher and I have not yet left my artistic practice. I think that working on the project will contribute to improving my teaching practice. In the meantime, we will see the artistic results a little later, they still need to be prepared and implemented properly. The success of this project opens up the possibility to pursue other research results” – Rokas Dovydėnas shares his impressions.
