Future relics

The abstract, organic shapes of Uriel Caspi’s sculptures draw attention with their distinctive presence and dominating sizes. They transcend the traditional scale usually seen in ceramic art, taking ownership of the vast spaces and landscapes in which they are installed. Through their volume and bodily references, they evoke a sense of movement, as though they are standing, roaming or shifting. The particularly anthropomorphic or animalistic works possess an almost sentient quality. These sculptures are more than just static objects; they invite interaction, bridging Caspi’s vision with the viewer’s perception. His works create space for dialogue, escaping the ordinary, expected boundaries of form, and challenging how we engage with ceramic art.

CREATIVE LIFE

Born in northern Israel, Caspi began working with clay aged five, when his mother signed him up for after-school pottery classes. He was immediately captivated. ‘It felt really natural to express myself in something three-dimensional,’ he says. ‘I made figurines and creatures out of clay. Our house began to fill up with them. And from there, I have never really stopped.’ Following the sudden death of his mother when he was still young, Caspi’s connection to clay took on a therapeutic dimension. He explains how his near life-long exploration of clay has enabled him to access a unique visual language of his own. ‘None of the rest of my family are particularly creative,’ he says. ‘However, they could see I was really drawn to creating things – that I needed it – and so they encouraged me.’

Ever since those first pottery classes, Caspi’s devotion to clay has only deepened, shaping a life around it. He finished his undergraduate degree in Ceramics and Glass at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem. He then moved to North America where he completed a master’s degree in Ceramic Art at the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University. Caspi’s artistic practice underwent a significant evolution during this period. With a solid foundation in traditional pottery and shaped by years of creating vessels and figurines, as well as mastering glazes and firing techniques, he began to explore new possibilities of clay.

The expansive facilities at Alfred and later at the Archie Bray Foundation, including enormous kilns, encouraged him to work on a much larger scale. ‘I had the knowledge of how to make a successful pot, with mentors who were deeply rooted in the pottery world,’ he explains. ‘But even before then, I began thinking about how to push the boundaries between the vessel and other forms. I wanted to explore the ambiguous space between these concepts, a question many ceramic artists wrestle with. From there, my work evolved into larger series.’

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE

This shift inspired him to create immersive installations, where clay sculptures and spatial design transform how viewers interact with the work. Rather than dictating a specific narrative, Caspi embraced the idea of granting viewers autonomy to interpret and construct their own stories. ‘People always speculate about what the meaning is behind my work,’
he says. ‘And although I build them with fragments of my own ideas, I like
to think I give the viewer full autonomy to create their own narrative when they encounter the work themselves.’

This is demonstrated by the reflective, iridescent surfaces of his Arabian lustre-glazed sculptures, which are formulated with precious metals and traditionally fired in a reduction atmosphere. Caspi was dedicated to researching and reviving this ancient technique for over nine years. These glazes often mirror the viewer, thus nurturing further dialogue between the observer and the artwork. Through the constant development of his work at the Alfred, Caspi delved deeper into the ambiguous intersections between the vessel, the human body and sculpture.

Building on his roots in the Middle East, he draws significant inspiration from archaeological remnants. Ancient relics become reimagined through a modern lens, blending seamlessly with multicultural references. This enables him to embark on an introspective journey, uncovering layers of narratives, memories and personal histories that shape the imagery of his art.

His ceramic installations, often immersive in nature, explore the timelessness of antiquity with a visionary glimpse of the future. This juxtaposition between past and future is embodied in his revival of ancient techniques such as the jarre à la corde, a method once used to craft large pottery vessels for storing oil and wine. Repurposing this traditional approach, Caspi begins by creating a wooden armature wrapped in rope, layering it with clay that is smoothed and shaped. Once the clay hardens, the armature and rope are removed to leave behind a hollow, sculptural vessel.

ARTISTIC JOURNEY

Caspi is now based in the Netherlands but has spent part of the last year as a visiting artist at Geneva University of Art and Design and most recently at the Höchster Porcelain Manufacturer in Germany. Travelling, and hopping from studio to studio, has been a theme in his creative life. After spending time in the United States, he moved to Asia, where he spent seven months living and working in Taipei. Moving to Asia offered Caspi the chance to explore the rich history of Eastern ceramics: something that had always fascinated him during his studies. ‘Through all the years I studied ceramics, it was always about the contrasts between Asian and Western ceramics. Finally, I had the opportunity to see it all first-hand.’

One notable project was a partnership with a traditional porcelain manufacturer, where he produced a series of 300 hand-painted figurines. ‘It was an adventure,’ he says. ‘I don’t speak Chinese, and the factory workers didn’t speak English, so learning how to communicate and realise such a project was a real challenge – but it worked.’

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

In 2023, Caspi left Asia and relocated to Europe, where he has since worked and exhibited. He spent time at the European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC), creating further large-scale ceramic works that are now being exhibited across different countries. Reflecting on his global journey with ceramics, he remarks: ‘I am travelling with ceramics and ceramics travel with me.’

Some of his large-scale works stay where they are created, while others move with him and continue to solidify the global connections that shape his practice. Caspi appreciates how his travelling has served and enhanced his artistic journey, but he expresses frustration at lacking a sense of home. ‘It is not easy. Just as I get used to one studio, I have to move again,’ he says. ‘On one hand, working in different spaces opens up opportunities to grow my practice and avoid repeatedly making the same thing. But, on the other hand, it can be quite restrictive. A key thing I have learnt is to be adaptable.’

Time and movement seem to be defining elements within both Caspi’s personal life and creative practice. As he looks to the future, both for himself and the ideas he seeks to encapsulate in his work, a home studio of his own is something he increasingly yearns for.

Conceptually speaking, he is fascinated in how clay can embody the passing of time. Though ceramics is often considered a static medium, there is shape-shifting and transformation within the processes that lead to a finished piece. Central to Caspi’s vision is his drive to create works that feel dynamic and alive. ‘I want my sculptures to be fast,’ he explains, reflecting on the challenge of conveying speed and movement in a traditionally static medium.

Caspi’s innovative exploration of ceramics exists at the crossroads of the primordial and the futuristic, inviting us to reflect on how timeless mediums might shape and inspire our understanding of the future.

For more details visit caspiceramics.com; @caspiceramics

Images: courtesy of the artist; courtesy of the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum; Aya Wind; Tai-Hwa-Yao, Hans Dunlop; Brian Oglesbee; Katie Knight; Miles Warburton; HEAD–Gèneve, Raphaëlle Mueller

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