Israeli sculptor Zemer Peled makes mesmerizing sculptures that are compiled from thousands of porcelain shards. They take after the organic shape and growth of flowers and corals. A process of deconstruction and reconstruction, her work aims to examine both the beauty and sheer brutality of the natural world.
According to the Peled, her creative process is consistent with the Kabbalah concepts of Shevirah (breaking) and Tikkun (mending) which can also be considered as a renewal. “I make, then break, then make again,” she shared with CFile. “Chaos, destruction, and decay are intense and necessary creative process for me to create each of my sculptures.”
This process includes producing the ceramic shards herself, using a slab roller. “I make sheets of clay, fire them, and smash them into pieces with a hammer,” she explained. “I love playing with the idea of the texture and the form can look airy, delicate, light and fluffy and to give a sense of flutter, as if my breath would break it. Yet, the hard and sharp shards can be seen as round and moving, and give a sense of softness.”
Her work has been exhibited internationally at venues like Sotheby’s, Saatchi Gallery (London), and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City); and has also been featured in top tier publications like Vogue, O Magazine, and Elle. But you can also follow her creative journey on Instagram.
