More than sixty years have passed, since the word Troika decorated the walls of the building where today we find St Ives Museum. In those days the word was created using small pieces of broken coloured ceramics. Once again, Troika will appear, this time on a new Heritage Plaque. The Plaque, made possible by support from St Ives Town Council and crowdfunding sponsorship, is to be unveiled on Saturday 25th October at 4pm, at Wheal Dream, location of the original Troika studio from 1963-1970.
Troika was founded in 1963 by sculptor Leslie Illsley, potter Benny Sirota and architect Jan Thompson. They set out to make angular, geometric ceramics wanting to challenge the round, hand thrown stoneware popularised by Bernard Leach.
Originally seen as uncouth outsiders, Troika soon gained a reputation for distinctive, sculptural work, and grew exponentially, becoming popular all over the UK and beyond.
Many locals and tourists alike remember purchasing one of their unique textured ceramics and taking home a treasured piece of affordable, accessible art. Their work remains an established force in the antique trade, regularly featuring on programmes, such as The Antiques Roadshow and Flog It.
The Plaque is to be unveiled by former Troika employee, Roland Bence with a dedication from St Ives Mayor Johnnie Wells. Roland is a key protagonist in the Troika story. Starting in 1965, Roland rose under Leslie’s keen tutelage to become a mould maker and designer, managing the workshop when Troika was at its height in the mid-seventies.
The Plaque also recognises the achievements of the decorators, the talented group of women who gave each piece of Troika its individuality and whose names are immortalised in the initials on the base of every Troika piece. Not only symbolic of their skill and artistry, these monograms are often used to date individual pieces.
The Troika Plaque is the second in a sequence of planned heritage plaques for St Ives, celebrating the unsung heroes of the St Ives art movement. The unveiling would not have been possible without the support of St Ives Town Council, St Ives Museum and The St Ives Archive.
Councillor Johnnie Wells, Mayor of St Ives, said;
“I’m so pleased to see this plaque, celebrating such an important part of St Ives’ story. Our town has always had an influence on art and culture that far outweighs its size, and it’s vital that we keep in touch with that heritage. Troika’s legacy is part of what gives this town its character, and it’s wonderful to see that remembered here. A special second edition of the book ‘Troika 63-83’ by Ben Harris and Lawrence Illsley will be available to be signed on the day.”
