Potters in southern Chile work to breathe new life into their trade

A new shared brand and series of workshops have been created with the aim of reactivating and valuing the historical clay trade in the town of Nacimiento. The project is getting support from the design school of Duoc UC Concepción, a prestigious university in the area, the municipality and CMPC.

Between 1930 and 1970, the District of Nacimiento in south-central Chile had been known throughout the country for making orange-colored tiles for building construction in nearby regions as well as utilitarian items for cooking and dining. All this knowledge about clay from Nacimiento was treasured by the artisans and later passed down to their descendants. That was the case for Marco Barra, who as a child learned how to work this material and create pieces that his father would sell in different area towns.

Today’s pottery craft is in the hands of a handful of Nacimiento residents who want to keep alive the techniques for creating an endless array of items. That’s why they’re participating in the Pottery Support program, an initiative created by the Municipality of Nacimiento, the School of Design of the DUOC UC campus in Concepción, capital of the Biobío Region, and CMPC. The first stage of this initiative seeks to co-create a shared brand for the purpose of bringing together the local pottery trade under a unified vision and repositioning its products in the domestic market.

Marco Barra learned this trade from his grandfather, and he values this program that seeks to highlight his work. “I believe that in order to make a mark on this world and set a precedent, we have to build networks and support other people. I’ve been blessed, so I can’t be selfish. I want people to remember me more for what I’ve done than for the pieces I’ve made. Regarding my craft, I believe I can share my experiences, teach others and leave a legacy. I think all potters are tuned into this.”

“This project will mark a before and after, and for us it is very interesting to recover and give value to the work of our artisans. What sets us apart is that we have the raw material, the clay, in Nacimiento.  We are a pottery community with a lot of history and we want to revive it and share it with Chile and the world. Today our homes are invaded with disposable items that can harm the environment, but clay is a natural, non-polluting organic material,” said Nacimiento Mayor Carlos Toloza.

The Pottery Support Program consists of four stages. The first is to generate a shared brand that gives an identity to the pottery work of Nacimiento, emphasizing its trajectory and its geographical specificity. Stages two and three are for working on the packaging design for the digital store that will help market the items the potters make. The fourth and final stage will focus on workshops that encourage interaction between potters and design students.

The School of Design at Duoc UC of Concepción Program Director Ricardo Maggio said that there are design students at varying phases of their studies involved in the different stages of the pottery program. “We have about 60 students who will get involved in these stages of the program so that all the knowledge they’ve acquired can be poured into this project. Additionally, six professors will participate, some of whom are in charge of the curatorship of the brand logo to be chosen after we gather observations by surveying the local community.”

CMPC Head of Corporate Affairs in Nacimiento, Cristian Cutiño, highlights the importance of this initiative. “We are starting this support program as a commitment we’ve made as a company, but we’ll be working together with other institutions, artisans and neighboring communities. The goal is to spotlight the pottery work and recover the heritage and history of this beautiful trade.”

Potters behind the shared brand

The Program was presented at the Campus Nacimiento CMPC Duoc UC, located in the Biobío Region of Chile. The online survey was launched to the public in order to come up with guidelines for creating the shared brand of the potters of Nacimiento.

If you’d like to vote on the design, go to the form using the QR code or by clicking here.