Black Gold Cup

Ineke Hans’s Black Gold Coffee collection explores the concept of “modular” porcelain. Starting with the basic technique of “gluing” pieces with slip clay, Hans worked out a modular system that includes just five basic shapes: a narrow cylinder, a medium cylinder, a big cylinder, a corner, and a “plunger.” From these forms, she assembled an entire coffee set, turning the shapes so that they could be used in different ways. For instance, the “plunger” serves as both a cup handle and the spout of a coffee pot. The work is also technically impressive for its successful use of black porcelain, which is difficult to produce because clays that are infused with black pigment tend to be distorted in the kiln when fired.