Ode to the Earth

Ode to the Earth is a minimalist tableware collection by Belgian artist, Roos Van de Velde, and the Antwerp-based design label, Unik Antwerp. As the name suggests, the collection of stoneware pieces pays homage to the Earth and nature, which served as a primary source of inspiration to the late artist throughout her practice.

Celebrated for her asymmetrical, yet refined ceramics — often made using white, transparent porcelain — Van de Velde’s most recent, and last collection, makes use of stoneware clay in grounding shades of charcoal, off-white, beige, and brown. The pieces, which include hand-formed plates, bowls, sauce cups, and an oil bottle, gain their own unique “deformations” in the hand-making process, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces. Additional textural details such as impressions of leaves, stones, wood, or water traces, further nod to mother nature and bring a sense of individuality to the tableware.

Finished with sparing use of glaze, applied only when necessary, Ode to Earth’s pieces offer a rich contrast between rough, unglazed surfaces, and polished, smooth areas — resulting in a balanced collection that embraces the unique beauty of imperfections and pays tribute to Van de Velde and her artistic legacy.

The post Ode to the Earth appeared first on Leibal.