INSPIRATION: CYPRIOT GEOMETRIC POTTERY

Jul 5

Large pottery barrel jug in White Painted/Bichrome ware — Large pottery barrel jug, circa 950BC–800BC (© The Trustees of the British Museum)

When we create a brand, we start by looking at what sits at the heart of the business and build out the brand strategy and identity from there. This means our inspiration comes from different places for each project we work on, as each business leads you to a new starting point.

So was the case for Cyprus Kitchen, who serve up delicious Eastern Mediterranean dishes to the people of Bristol, London and Glastonbury, from guest pop-ups and private events to the busiest lunchtime street food markets.

Cyprus Kitchen itself is inspired by the family gatherings of its half-Cypriot founder Nick’s childhood—the sizzle of grilled meats, soft warm breads and crisp salads—each dish is the product of traditional recipes passed down through generations.

It would have been easy to create an identity for the brand based around cliched tavernas with summer holiday vibes, but instead we delved deeper in Cypriot culture and heritage for our starting point. And so we discovered the beautifully graphic pottery from the geometric and archaic period on the island. That’s somewhere between the 11th – 4th century BC, in case you’re wondering.

Large pottery amphora or jar in White Painted ware — Pottery amphora or jar, circa 1050BC–900BC (© The Trustees of the British Museum)

The design of the pots and vessels followed local traditions, but as an island with links stretching across the Eastern Mediterranean, Levantine and Aegean coasts, they were influenced by foreign ceramic fashions of the time. It was the abstract linear decorations of the pots that caught our imagination: beautiful concentric circles reminiscent of the sun; careful horizontal and vertical lines intersecting each other forming a graphic landscape; and flowing waves stretching around the pots as the sea hugs the island.

Pottery cup in White Painted ware; wheel-made — Bowl or cup, circa 1050BC-–900BC (© The Trustees of the British Museum)

Large pottery hydria or water jar in White Painted ware — Hydria or water jar, circa 1050BC–1000BC (© The Trustees of the British Museum)

Pottery dish or plate in White Painted ware — Dish or plate, circa 1050BC–900BC (© The Trustees of the British Museum)

All of these shapes fed into our designs for Cyprus Kitchen—from the line-based monogram and fluid hand painted graphic language to the geometric wooden construction of the kitchen itself.

Full case study coming soon, but until then, we recommend hunting out Cyprus Kitchen at their next event or market.

For more information on Cypriot Pottery take a look at https://www.hellenic.org.au/post/the-curious-case-of-cypriot-pottery and http://kyprioscharacter.eie.gr/en/scientific-texts/details/archaeology/pottery-of-geometric-archaic-and-classical-periods-in-cyprus