Material Research 1

By Kesem Yahav

Alongside my ceramic collections, I explore clay through experimentation, material research, and hands-on investigation. These projects are a way to test ideas, understand materials, and discover new possibilities through the process of making.

I am interested in the relationship between control and chance, exploring what happens when clay is combined with natural materials, textiles, and other elements. Through these experiments, I investigate texture, structure, colour, movement, and the connection between different materials.

Some explorations develop into finished collections, while others remain ongoing research that continues to influence my design practice.

Clay, Grass & Textile Explorations

This exploration combines ceramic structures with natural materials such as grass, rope, and textiles. Inspired by weaving techniques, I experiment with combining hard and soft materials, exploring the contrast between the strength of fired clay and the organic qualities of natural fibres.

Through this process, I investigate how different materials can meet, transform, and create new visual and tactile possibilities.

This project started during my art residency at Domaine de Boisbuchet, Lessac, France.

Clay Fibres & Flexible Forms

This collection explores the possibilities of clay fibres and coils, investigating the balance between flexibility and structure. By weaving, braiding, twisting, bending, and layering clay fibres onto ceramic surfaces, I push clay beyond its traditional solid form, discovering new ways to create movement, texture, and expression. Through these fluid forms, I explore how clay can become light, dynamic, and expressive while maintaining its inherent strength and structure.

Fractures

For many years, I have worked with fractures, fascinated by the forms they reveal. Fractures expose the material's inner structure, uncovering a hidden beauty in what is broken, damaged, and imperfect.

In this project, I explore the contrast between fractured surfaces and the softness of clay, combining marbling, Nerikomi, hand building, and slip casting to create layered textures and distinctive forms. Each piece balances control and chance, where fracture becomes both a process and a source of beauty.