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Ekaterina Semenova www.ekaterinasemenova.com

Care for Milk

By 10-11-2018

The Russian Ekaterina Semenova (30) wanted to give a new dimension to the so typically Dutch dairy industry. She used dairy leftovers of milk to glaze ceramics. The different types of brown silky gloss depend on the type of milk.

“I did research on the Dutch culture and came to the history of the milk industry, which I found highly interesting. The Dutch have the highest production in the world. I found out that only 20% of the milk waste – for example the milk a cow produces when it is sick – is reused.”

“I started to collect milk leftovers from my neighbors and turned these leftovers into a bioplastic. I baked this in the oven and this resulted in a brown, caramel-like glaze. When you put milk on earthenware and then bake it, it penetrates the pores and creates a brown, waterproof silk gloss layer; an alternative to chemical glaze.”

“The higher the temperature of the oven and the more fat the milk contains, the more intense the color brown is. The fact is that this color is caused by the sugars in the milk. Colostrum causes a nice, thick layer because it contains more fat, but I’ve also been experimenting with cottage cheese and yogurt.”

New Material Award Nominee 2018

Text: Liza Karsemeijer