Dana Zvulun
Ceramicist
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Clay conversation about coral conservation
- Dana creates lifelike sculptures of living organisms found in reefs
- Influenced by her native Tanzania, nature is central to her practice
- She exhibited her work at Ceramic Brussels in 2026
In her search for a comforting practice while adjusting to life in the Netherlands, Dana Zvulun was inspired by a friend to explore ceramics.“I have always been obsessed with corals,” she says. “One day I realised I should try translating my drawings of corals into ceramics. Clay instantly felt familiar in my hands.” Dana's lifelike ceramic coral sculptures are characterised by their intricate details, each element crafted and attached one by one. To develop her skills and broaden the horizons of her practice, she undertook a residency in Mexico with artist Andrés Anza and an internship in New York with Yuko Nishikawa. Dana's pieces often explore ideas of vulnerability and collective strength while also raising awareness about coral conservation."My work is a love letter to nature,” she says.
INTERVIEW
My work is rooted in reverence for the natural world. It is my way of staying in contact with nature now that I no longer live in Tanzania. My parents raised me in nature and taught me to see myself as part of it, not above it. I recreate pieces, memories and abstract details from nature, the place that makes me feel at home.
During my three-month residency with Andrés Anza, he taught me technical skills and became one of my biggest influences. Andrés also organised my first solo exhibition, leading to wider recognition. I later interned in New York with Japanese artist Yuko Nishikawa, where I developed greater precision and patience in my work.
My corals. I am deeply moved by what they represent environmentally. Something so fragile can also be so powerful and essential to our world. From far away, a reef looks like one massive structure. In reality, millions of tiny living organisms are working together in harmony to create something larger than themselves.
I am inspired by my family and closest friends. I am also influenced by Tanzanian craftsmanship and artistic traditions. Tanzanian beadwork is rich in repetition, detail and pattern making, and I recently realised how much the culture has shaped my visual language.
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