IVA POLACHOVA

Iva Polachova is a ceramicist based in London specialising in fluid and tactile tableware and decorative vessels in a limited palette. Iva takes inspiration from Constantin Brancusi’s notion of the essential in art and Paul Klee’s belief that the artist distils from nature. She likes working with unglazed porcelain because of the strength that its sensuous and fragile appearance belies, but she also works with a variety of clays, from the refined to the coarse. Pieces are dipped in white matt or shiny glazes. The use of white is integral to Iva’s practice as it reveals the clay, whilst simultaneously covering it, and emphasizes the form and texture of her pieces. Her gently textured surfaces are created using simple ceramic tools, such as a scraper and rasp blades which are left visible to attest to their maker’s hand. Iva’s prioritization of the creative process and rhythm of making results in pieces that are imbued with a sense of balance, clarity and stillness.