Rishtan Ceramics Center
Tucked away in the historical part of Tashkent, a stone's throw from the renowned Chorsu Bazaar, you'll find the restored Kallakhona madrasah. This site today hosts the Rishtan Ceramics Center, an institution representing a pottery craft hailing from Rishtan with a tradition spanning thousands of years. The characteristic, resonating chime when you tap on Rishtan pottery, along with its rich blue hues, sets it apart.
For those unable to venture to Rishtan while journeying through Uzbekistan, or for those pressed for time, the Rishtan Ceramics Center in Tashkent presents a fantastic alternative. You'll find an array of offerings here: there's an exhibition featuring thousands of pieces, hands-on pottery modeling and painting sessions, and even a kiln. However, compared to the original workshop, the kiln here is infrequently used, and visitors can't witness the extraction and processing of clay.
The center's collection showcases an array of pottery types: from pilaf dishes to tea sets, salad and fruit vases, jugs, soup bowls, plates, and wine vessels and cups, alongside various decorative items. These aren't limited to the iconic Rishtan blue glaze; they come in all colors. Each plate boasts a unique design with its geometric and vegetal ornaments.
The center's workshop area features two molding rooms, one equipped with an electric potter's wheel and the other with a traditional foot-operated wheel. There's a space for drying and a kiln, in addition to a large room dedicated to painting. The workshop is open daily, accommodating up to 20 guests for each session.
In a molding workshop, guests take their place at the potter's wheel, where they learn how to shape the clay and handle it with their hands. Most prefer the traditional wheel, offering a more authentic experience that dates back hundreds of years. Participants will master how to maintain the clay's suppleness by adding water, gauge the thickness of the walls, and use supplementary tools. In just half an hour, a lump of clay transforms into a plate or jug. After crafting the dishware, it is set to dry for 3-4 days.
Painting, a distinct art form akin to drawing, is taught separately. Participants are provided with aprons and seated around a table with paints. Some paints appear as a gray liquid, but after firing, they will transform into a range of colors including blue, green, and other shades. Before painting, the instructor will mark sectors onto the plates with a pencil, simplifying the process of drawing ornaments. Participants are shown how to work with a brush and how to replicate the pattern in the remaining sectors. While it might appear simple to repeat the pattern, when you take the brush in your hand, you realize it requires an extraordinary level of precision and a gentle touch. After a few rounds, you can even invent your own design. While the basics of painting can be grasped in about an hour, it takes years to truly master the art.
The Rishtan Ceramics Center's masterclasses provide an opportunity to discover a potential new hobby, test your fine motor skills, and indulge in a fun, creative experience. After the session, you can sit back, relax under the shade of trees and enjoy a cup of tea served in beautiful cups, while listening to the masters share insights about the philosophy of pottery, the meaning behind the patterns, and what makes the Rishtan style unique.
