Valéria Nascimento

Porcelain maker

©Lucas Ferreira

Reflections on the beauty of nature

Initially, Valéria trained as an architect in her native Brazil
She has created work for brands including Chanel, Tiffany’s and Escada
Her largest installation, Rainforest, comprised 10,000 individual elements

Valéria Nascimento is fascinated by the recurring patterns and rhythms of nature, including spirals, waves, petals, leaves and the undulating forms of birds in flight. “My work is about repetitive sequencing. Every piece I use – although seemingly a duplicate – is in fact unique. When assembled into large-scale installations for walls or ceilings, they engage in dialogue with one another.” Her architectural studies helped cement her interest in the fusion between urban landscapes and natural forms. When she was introduced to clay, she became fascinated by its multiple possibilities. “Porcelain has the smoothness and the malleability that I need to create new shapes, manipulating it to appear in some cases defiantly weightless.”

Interview

©Lucas Ferreira

Did you learn from a master?: I learned the basic techniques of making ceramics from Sylvia Goyanna, a well established artist in Rio de Janeiro. However, I developed my own signature style much later when I was first living in London around 2000.
How has your original career in architecture influenced your work?: My large-scale installations are a response to a specific space, allowing the viewer to submerge him or herself into a world where they bring their own interpretation to the work they experience. Assembling so many tiny pieces allows me to explore this notion; my work surges and ebbs to create a sense of infinity.
Have you mastered any specific techniques?: Yes, slab technique. This is the name given to rolling the porcelain until it is as thin as paper. My work is comprised of hundreds, maybe thousands, of pieces that make up a cohesive sculptural group, with each single piece handcrafted, cut and shaped.
Is this craft, design or art?: That is a matter of interpretation by the viewer. My installation work has evolved over many years through a process of experimentation. I aim to create works that inspire, connect and touch in an emotional way, encouraging the viewer to reflect on the beauty of nature and life.

Valéria Nascimento is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1986