Klemmné Németh Zsuzsa szerk.: Gorka Kerámiamúzeum, Verőce (PMMI kiadványai - Kiállítási katalógusok 10. Pest Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága)

GÉZA GORKA-FOCHT was born in Budapest in 1952. He also could experience the charming world of Verőce, the Danube bank, the Gorka-house and garden. The heritage of his mother and grandfather determined the course of his life. It was a journey to China at a young age that made him recognize he would have to continue the family tradition, the art of ceramics. He almost became a ceramist from defiance. From the age of 19 he worked for a ceramics factory for two years, where he could get acquainted with mass-production. Then he learnt the basics of throwing on the wheel and glazing with a famous master, Walter Gebauer, in Germany. After a year, he returned home and began to work at the Porcelain Factory of Herend. The next stage of his life was the College of Applied Arts of Vienna, where he could make experiments with glazes and clay in its well-equipped workshop. Since he settled finally in Hungary, he has made most of his clays and glazes himself and has worked alone. "Although I always respected - and still respect - my mother's and grandfather's works, I never wanted to resemble them and always wanted to prevent other people from comparing me to them. I wanted to follow my own course and this is the principle I follow even today." - he says. Most of his works are thrown on the wheel. He fires his objects at 12001250°C. His dishes and ornamental objects constructed of regular forms and of moderate colouring have artificial flaws so that they should have some inner tensions. The main adornment of his works is this kind of "conscious" flaw, which he emphasizes. Breaking a rule becomes a value. Nowadays, he is living and working in a mill. He has found and created the harmony between his work and his childhood love, nature. He declares "...who works with natural materials - and this is what a potter does - especially loves landscape or nature. He considers compulsory for himself to know and keep its rules. He admires nature day by day, drawing power and inspiration from it." is