Rustem Skybin

Ceramic decorator

©Ksenja Nуаvka

©Rustem Skybin

©Islyam Pinka

Crimean Tatar ceramics

Rustem created his own polychrome ceramic painting technique
He researches and revives ancient Crimean Tatar decorations
Every pattern he uses is different

You can’t help but marvel at the intricate lines of the pottery crafted by Rustem Skibin. He is a collector and a guardian of a Crimean Tatar art tradition on one hand and a tireless innovator on the other. Rustem has made it his mission to find and preserve the ancient patterns of his predecessors and his works reflect thousands of years of the Crimean Tatar ceramics craft. Having opened a studio in 2000 near Sevastopol in Crimea, he had to leave in 2014 due to turbulent times and so subsequently opened a Kyiv based space. Rustem pioneered his own pottery making technique called “Quru Isar” that is based on the centuries-old Crimean Tatar calligraphy art and adapted to modernity. All his works reflect a bigger idea connected to "the continuation of life on Earth", as the artisan puts it.

Interview

©Dmitro Larin

©Rustem Skybin

What is the most memorable moment in your career?: One of the most vivid memories of mine happened in 2012. With delight, I watched the masterful work of the ninth generation potter Sharofitdin Yusupov, who in freeform painted a large ceramic dish in only 12 minutes. This experience helped me to rethink everything I was taught at academic school.
Is your craft endangered?: At the moment, it is quite popular and has become one of the Crimean trademarks. Until 1987, Crimean Tatar pottery was practically lost. This happened due to the tragic deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 by Stalin to the Ural region in Russia and Uzbekistan.
What do you like most about your profession?: I am very fond of studying and restoring the forgotten forms of the ceramic vessels. Another passion of mine is the ornamental decoration. I enjoy creating new compositions based on the traditional structures and the semantics of the Crimean Tatar ornaments.
How would you describe what you do as an artisan?: It comes down to three elements: study, development and popularisation. I rethink ornamentation and traditional forms of ceramics and adapt them to modern needs. I am fortunate to pass on my knowledge too, my studio welcomes apprentices who go on to set up their own studios.

Rustem Skybin is a master artisan: he began his career in 2000 and he started teaching in 2006