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At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium

by Aurelia Butler 16 January 2025, 17:23

Eirik Falckner, Kiosken. All images courtesy of Ceramic Brussels, shared with permission

At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium

January 16, 2025

ArtCraft

Grace Ebert

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From Nobuhito Nishigawara’s gilded drips to Andrés Anza’s spiny forms that could seemingly scuttle away at any moment, an eclectic array of works go on view this month for Ceramic Brussels.

In its second year, the annual gathering is the only international art fair devoted entirely to the medium. The 2025 edition will feature works by more than 200 artists around the globe, with a particular focus on contemporary Norwegian makers.

Andres Anza, Galleria Anna Marra

Spanning myriad aesthetics and processes, the fair presents a wide variety of approaches to and a sort of state of the medium. Some artists, like Eirik Falckner, push the boundaries of ceramic art even further by collaborating with bees to layer thick chunks of honeycomb atop a raw armature.

Find some works slated to be exhibited at the fair, which runs from January 23 to 26, below.

Nobuhito Nishigawara, Almine Rech

Marianne Huotari, Holster Burrows

Daphne de Gheldere, Spax Projects

Andres Anza, Galleria Anna Marra

Nellie Jonsson, QB Gallery

Samuel Yal, Galerie Ariane C-Y

Laszlo Borsody, ACB Gallery

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Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects
by Aurelia Butler 14 January 2025, 19:03
All images courtesy of Saori Matsushita, shared with permission
Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects
January 14, 2025
ArtCraft
Grace Ebert
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It might be tempting to throw one of Saori Matsushita’s paper airplanes across the room, but we promise you the landing would be less than graceful.
From her Seattle studio, Matsushita transforms delicate sheets of porcelain into vases, mugs, and sculptures that appear as if they were folded from paper. Punctured with binder holes and the fringed edge of a torn-out sheet, the functional objects bear the iconic blue lines of a school notebook. Other works are similarly deceptive, like the cloth sack or collared-shirt vessels that capture the folds, bends, and bulges of fabric in ceramic.
To create these pieces, Matsushita utilizes nerikomi, a Japanese pottery technique that involves layering colored bodies of clay together and then cutting them to reveal a patterned section. Stripes of blue and pink appear through stacking slabs rather than the glazing process, and the artist builds most works by hand (head to her YouTube to see more).
When Matsushita began incorporating this labor-intensive method into her practice in 2023, it helped develop what’s now become her signature style. She shares:
Previously, I focused on Neriage, a technique where colored clays are combined and wheel-thrown. However, I transitioned to Nerikomi and began treating porcelain sheets like origami or leather to create more unique, personal expressions of my vision. I feel this shift has allowed me to establish a style that truly reflects my individuality as an artist.
One of Matsushita’s pieces will be featured in Saltstone Ceramics’ annual Mug Madness tournament this March. Follow the latest in her practice, along with announcements about new works available in her shop, on Instagram.
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Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries
by Aurelia Butler 13 January 2025, 20:30
All images courtesy of Nosheen Iqbal, shared with permission
Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries
January 13, 2025
ArtCraft
Grace Ebert
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Equipped with vibrant cotton thread and wooden panels, Nosheen Iqbal stitches sculptural embroideries that draw on her Pakistani and Islamic heritage. Architectural arabesques and Punjabi craft traditions influence her mixed-media motifs, including phulkari, or floral folk embroideries, and woodblock printed reliefs known as bagh.
Iqbal utilizes half-circles and semi-precious beads to add depth and visual intrigue to the works. Creating shadows and catching the light, these meticulously planned details allow a shift in perspective depending on the viewer’s position. The sweeping lines of color create “saturated pathways that reveal their intensity and depth,” she adds, “allowing my work to offer a shifting experience of light, color, and connection.”
By emphasizing dimension and the interactions between materials, Iqbal hopes to push the medium in new directions while honoring broader making traditions. She says:
Craftsmanship holds a profound significance in Pakistani culture, where artistry is revered as a lifelong discipline that shapes identity and community. This respect for meticulous craftsmanship is integral to my own practice. By selecting thoughtful materials—wood, semi-precious beads, and thread—I aim to honor this tradition. Each piece is a reflection of this cultural value, merging refined textures with precision to invite a tactile, immersive experience for the viewer.
Born in London, Iqbal lives and works in Dallas and recently left a long career in design and art direction to become an artist full-time. You can find available pieces on her website and follow her work on Instagram.
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Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs
by Aurelia Butler 13 January 2025, 17:00
“Fluffy-Tailed Ticked Dog” (2022), hand-hooked mostly-wool yarn on linen. All images courtesy of Emily O’Leary, shared with permission
Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs
January 13, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Most dogs spend at least half of their day asleep—some getting z’s for upwards of 18 hours. Whether curled up on the floor or enjoying a long-legged stretch, the subjects of Emily O’Leary’s rugs evoke our beloved pets.
Based on photographs of actual dogs, she focuses mostly on animals the artist doesn’t know. “I like to hook dogs that are pretty ‘mutty’ looking, that don’t look like yard-bound Golden Retrievers or Doodles,” she tells Colossal. “I’m attracted to the shared history of humans and dogs—how the bulk of their domestication may have happened somewhat inadvertently.”
“Injured Elbow Dog” (2020), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen
Employing a carpet-making technique called rug hooking, the earliest form of which can be traced to Northern England in the early 19th century, O’Leary spends several months on a single piece. Compared to tufting, “It’s a slower, more traditional process,” she says, but the process allows each individual loop to be applied at a different height, giving her the ability to create three-dimensional reliefs.
O’Leary learned to make rugs after predominantly focusing on embroidery. When some friends organized an exhibition themed around dogs, she had the idea to make a work in the shape of a life-size canine. “I’m lucky that the rugs sort of do inspire tender feelings in the people who see them, but that they’re also a bit uncanny,” she says.
The pieces’ weight and realistic details engender an intimate connection as they come to life, so to speak. “I really feel like I’ve built a relationship with the object,” she says, adding: “Sometimes the dogs I hook have wounds or scars. The dog rug I’m working on right now is missing a little chunk of her ear. I want to depict them as they are, not stuffed animal versions.”
Find more on O’Leary’s website and Instagram.
“Brown and Black Dog” (2021), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen
Detail of “Mottled-leg Dog” (2024), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen
“Sandy Reddish Dog” (2023), hand-hooked mostly-wool yarn on linen
Photo by Bucky Miller
Photo by Bucky Miller
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Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life
by Aurelia Butler 8 January 2025, 15:45
“Fuentes de Vida; Gemela” (2023)
Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life
January 8, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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From ceramics and wool fiber, Nicole McLaughlin (previously) summons striking connections between materials, heritage, and personal experiences. She draws upon the rich traditions of historically domestic crafts to reconsider their roles today, merging ceramics and textiles into elegant, cascading wall sculptures.
Drawing on artisanal trades like pottery and weaving, McLaughlin deconstructs preconceptions about form and function, emphasizing mediums, techniques, and themes through the unexpected pairing of stoneware and fiber. Her works encourage us to think critically about relationships between tenderness and strength or past and present.
“Cordón de Vida” (2024), ceramic, tencel, indigo, wool, and cochineal, 27 x 60 x 4 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery
Many of the pieces shown here are from McLaughlin’s ongoing Indigo Series, which explores the history of the Mayan pigment and its taps into the continuity of life cycles, history, and culture. Streams of wool fiber flow from central openings in glazed ceramic spheres, referencing the life-giving flow of water as a parallel to fertility and maternal care.
McLaughlin gave birth to a daughter in early 2024, which dramatically shifted how she viewed her studio practice. The work in her most recent exhibition, String of Life at Anderson Yezerski Gallery, merges personal experiences and her Mexican cultural heritage, delving into themes of life and the transformative journey of motherhood.
“The transformation of organic material echoes the transformative nature of motherhood,” McLaughlin said in a statement for the show. “The range of colors captures an intense emotional spectrum—from the vitality of birth to the softer, more intimate moments.”
For McLaughlin, cochineal carries an equivalent significance. The brilliant magenta hue emerges from carmine dye, also known as cochineal, which comes from crushing an insect of the same name. The color plays a vital role in Indigenous material culture and heritage of the Americas.
Detail of “Cordón de Vida”
For the Aztecs and Mayans, red was symbolic of the gods, the sun, and blood, and the dye was traded throughout Central and South America for use in rituals, producing pigments for manuscripts and murals, and for dyeing cloth and feathers.
“During the Mayan empire, indigo was combined with clay and incense to create a pigment known as Maya blue,” she says. “The pigment was said to hold the healing power of water in the agricultural community.”
McLaughlin’s work is in the group exhibition OBJECTS: USA 2024 at R & Company in New York, which continues through tomorrow. The artist is currently taking a short break from the studio in anticipation of working toward a solo exhibition at Adamah Ceramics in Columbus, Ohio, which will open this fall. See more on her website, and follow updates on Instagram.
“Agua; Sangre de Vida.” Photo by Logan Jackson, courtesy of R & Company
“La Pequeña” (2024), ceramic, wool, and cochineal, 10.5 x 21 x 1.5 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery
“La Marea que me Envuelve II” (2023). All images courtesy of Nicole McLaughlin, shared with permission
Detail of “Fuentes de Vida; Gemela”
Detail of “De Mi Vientre” (2024), ceramic, tencel, wool, and cochineal, 17.5 x 73 x 5.5 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery
Untitled (2024), 10 x 10 feet
Detail of “La Pequeña”
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Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts
by Aurelia Butler 7 January 2025, 10:00
All images courtesy of Caroline Harrius, shared with permission
Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts
January 7, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Through tiny holes puncturing hand-shaped vessels, Stockholm-based artist Caroline Harrius (previously) embroiders delicate designs. She merges two distinct crafts—ceramics and fiber art—that don’t typically share much in common, exploring relationships between form and function, decoration and utility, and historically gendered artisanal practices.
Harrius opens a solo show this month titled Blue Memories at Kaolin in Stockholm, the culmination of a three-month residency she undertook in Porsgrunn, Norway, after being awarded the municipality’s porcelain grant. The program comprises a collaborative effort between the local porcelain factory and Kunsthall Grenland to support contemporary artistry in the material.
“The meeting between textile and ceramics is irrational and full of resistance,” Harrius says in a statement for the exhibition. She spent time at the Porsgruns Porcelain Factory with free reign to expand on existing ideas and apply new inspiration.
“Next to the workshop was an antique dealer with rows of boxes marked ’10 SEK for everything!,’ filled with objects,” she says. From these trinkets, which the dealer had deemed practically worthless, Harrius imagined new floral designs.
“I embroider in porcelain with cotton thread in an attempt to recontextualize the crafts,” she says. “I want to make an attempt to highlight all the precious and impressive craft objects that are often left behind within the walls of the home, continue to challenge hierarchies in the field, and make visible traditional female craftsmanship.”
Blue Memories runs from January 11 to 26. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
Photo by Alexander Beveridge
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Rice Straw Sculptures by ARKO Contemporize a Traditional Japanese Material
by Aurelia Butler 23 December 2024, 12:57
All images courtesy of the artist and Somewhere Tokyo, shared with permission
Rice Straw Sculptures by ARKO Contemporize a Traditional Japanese Material
December 23, 2024
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Rice harvests produce straw, a natural byproduct of the dried grain. Traditionally, the material could be used for a wide variety of objects from tatami mats to food wrappers to carrier bags. Many of those products are now made using synthetic materials, and rice straw is more often used for ceremonial or sacred decorations like Shinto shimenawa festoons, which are installed around the New Year and can range from a few centimeters to several meters long.
For Tokyo-based artist ARKO, rice straw finds a contemporary application in elegant wall hangings. “I started thinking that it should be something new, apart from the old traditions, given that there must be a reason why straw vanished from our life,” she says.
Interested in the organic nature of the medium, ARKO embraces how environmental changes can influence the look of the work as a reminder that the fiber originated from the ground. Sometimes moisture in the air makes the pieces feel heavy or the straw will emit a scent. Most of the time she maintains the natural color of the thin stalks, occasionally dying layers black or using contrasting string to hold the composition together.
“In modern times, straw has been replaced by artificial materials and is manufactured with the premise of environmental pollution. (It) is mass-produced and discarded in large quantities,” ARKO says. Although she doesn’t prescribe a ritual meaning to the work, the sculptures evoke “the laws of nature and the great power of life that are often overlooked in modern society where economy takes priority.”
ARKO is represented by Somewhere Tokyo, and you can find more work on her website and Instagram.
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Döppel Studio’s ‘Néophore’ Vessels Illuminate Ancient Pottery Traditions with Neon
by Aurelia Butler 18 December 2024, 21:11
Photos by Ophélie Maurus. All images courtesy of Döppel Studio and ToolsGalerie, shared with permission
Döppel Studio’s ‘Néophore’ Vessels Illuminate Ancient Pottery Traditions with Neon
December 18, 2024
ArtCraftDesign
Kate Mothes
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In ancient Greece, amphorae were commonly used for carrying or storing liquids and grains like wine, oil, or cereal. A narrow neck and a large, oval body were easily moved with handles on each side. For Paris-based Döppel Studio, a collaboration between Lionel Dinis Salazar and Jonathan Omar, a millennia-old form inspires a contemporary collection.
Néophore is a series of terracotta and enamel vessels intersected with looping, handle-like tubes of glowing neon. Situated between sculpture, vessel, and lamp, the series takes a sophisticated yet playful approach to the relationship between form and function.
Salazar and Omar teamed up with ceramicist Aliénor Martineau, who specializes in mineral-based natural glazes, to customize a reflective enamel that would come alive under the light. Find more on Döppel Studio’s website, and if you’re in Paris, you can see Néophore at ToolsGalerie through January 11.
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Tropical Birds Burst to Life in the Intricate Paper Cutouts of ‘The Parrot Project’
by Aurelia Butler 18 December 2024, 14:45
All images courtesy of The Paper Ark, shared with permission
Tropical Birds Burst to Life in the Intricate Paper Cutouts of ‘The Parrot Project’
December 18, 2024
ArtCraftNature
Kate Mothes
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The Paper Ark, a collaboration between Nayan Shrimali and Venus Bird (previously), celebrates the diverse beauty of our planet’s wildlife. In The Parrot Project, a new series of intricate paper-cut pieces, the striking creatures take center stage in vivid color.
“This series focuses on the vibrant beauty of parrots and their contribution to the ecosystem,” say the Ahmedabad, India-based artists, who created 40 different species during the course of one year. Each piece is meticulously hand-cut and painted, realistically depicting the feathered beings.
The Paper Ark’s collection captures the vibrancy of myriad tropical avian varieties, from the bright blue, yellow, and red of the macaw to the dramatic flash of color in the red-tailed black cockatoo.
“We want our audience to not just appreciate the beauty of this wonderful species but also understand its importance in nature,” the pair says. Ten percent of proceeds from sales of this series will be donated to a parrot conservation organization.
See more on The Paper Ark’s website and Behance, and follow updates on Instagram.
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Craft

Latest story

At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium

More stories

Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects

Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries

Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs

Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life

Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts

Rice Straw Sculptures by ARKO Contemporize a Traditional Japanese Material

Döppel Studio’s ‘Néophore’ Vessels Illuminate Ancient Pottery Traditions with Neon

Tropical Birds Burst to Life in the Intricate Paper Cutouts of ‘The Parrot Project’

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