Contemporary Matcha Bowls and Ceremonial Tea Cups by 18 Independent Designers
ADORNO is proud to present 'CHAWAN', a landmark collection of contemporary ceremonial vessels commissioned by 18 progressive ceramicists, reinterpreting the traditional ‘Chawan’ through their distinctive material practices. These limited-edition works—each produced in a series of ten—transcend functionality to become contemplative objects that challenge our perception of ritual implements. The selected ceramicists and glass designers have approached the brief with remarkable restraint, creating pieces that articulate the tensions between tradition and innovation, form and function, presence and absence.
The pieces in CHAWAN are crafted as both functional tea or matcha vessels and sculptural works—objects that invite reflection, slow use, and tactile appreciation. While grounded in the typology of the chawan, they move beyond direct reinterpretation, expressing personal approaches to making that respond to heritage, context, and experimentation. These vessels are suitable for preparing and drinking matcha, serving loose-leaf tea, or simply existing as contemplative elements in a space.
The collection includes limited-edition works by Agne Kucerenkaite, Federica Paglia, Françoise Jeffrey Ceramics, Freakleesh, Lucile Gracile, Luft Tanaka Studio, Melo Clay, OOG Objects, Schoemig Porzellan, Streicher Goods, Studio Berg, Studio Flore, Studio S II, Szklo, Vale Ro, VeromOCERAMICS, Volupte Studio, and Zeynep Boyan.
Each designer was invited to explore the chawan form through their established material language—ranging from raw, hand-built clay bodies and refined porcelain to molten glass and hybrid composites. The resulting works are diverse in technique and aesthetic, yet connected through a shared interest in restraint, intimacy, and the sensory dimensions of drinking vessels.
Informed by practices from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, CHAWAN reflects the ongoing relevance of traditional objects in contemporary life. The matcha bowl, in this context, becomes a point of dialogue: between past and present, utility and meaning, presence and absence.
These bowls are produced in editions of ten and made available through SILENCE PLEASE in New York, and ADORNO’s international platform. Each piece offers a chance to connect with the evolving language of craft and design, and to integrate functional artistry into daily rituals.
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