Melo Chawan – Sculptural Ceramic Matcha Bowl
by melo clay United Kingdom (UK)

I make sculptural ceramic lamps and vessels that are inspired by the natural response of raw clay under the force of gravity. I bend, pull and stretch the material and I’m interested in capturing and retaining these shapes and the fluidity of the clay in a stone-like finished form. The dynamics of the folds and the bends make the form to appear natural and effortless (as if they were formed by elements). I start with simple shapes, cylinders and tubes rolled from slabs which I bend and hang over a suspended rod. While suspended I can then adjust and manipulate the form with a little help from gravity. I’m also inspired by the movement and distortions that occur in nature and the forms that are resulted from the elements. I find it fascinating to look at carved hills and wind-bent trees and to try and understand and visualize the process through which these structures were created. I’m also trying to incorporate the process of ‘making’ in my work, where the finished form gives a hint of how it was created and how I came to these shapes. Being trained as an architect, I’m drawn to bringing function to form. I like the fact that a lamp can be both a decorative element when the light is switched off and a functional item when it is on. The minimalist aesthetics and the functionality of my work make it easier for people to imagine them in their homes and as a designer it gives me satisfaction to see my lights well integrated in a space.