Arian Brekveld was asked by Shatho to design this gift. Brekveld’s specialty, combining ideas, innovative and expert execution, and a clear, almost sober design, on various levels provides a match with Shatho’s core values. The porcelain bowl has a sober and smooth exterior and a multi-layered interior. The porcelain layer at the bottom is visibly much thicker than the top layer. That meaningful difference in thickness can also be felt; the bowl combines a robust feel with an elegant and fragile appearance. Porcelain is the noblest form of ceramics. Although there are various types of porcelain, what they have in common is the fact that they can be produced at very high temperatures (1400-1700 oC), which makes the material fragile as well as rock solid, completely white and almost transparent (depending on the type of porcelain and the thickness of the layer; the higher the temperature, the more transparent it becomes). Whereas ordinary ceramics needs a thick layer to become sturdy, with porcelain it is possible to produce a wafer-thin layering. The usual procedure is as follows: first, the shape is created. Then, a plaster mould is made of that shape, after which the liquid porcelain is poured into the mould from the top. Because plaster absorbs water, an ever-thickening viscous edge is created along the plaster wall, comparable to the substance of bread dough. It is exactly at that moment that the craftsman turns the mould over and pours the still liquid porcelain from the mould. If he waits just a little too long, the wall becomes so thick that the special qualities of the material, such as its transparency, are lost. If he acts too soon, the as yet unbaked shape becomes too vulnerable and may collapse prematurely. If a designer wants to intervene in this creation process, for instance because he wants to make a special shape or because he wants to do something that the material is somewhat ill-suited for, he will need to experiment a great deal to find the limits of what is possible. An intensification of the craftsmanship. Brekveld wanted to create a layered bowl with layers that varied in thickness. There was no way that he could so via the commonly used procedure. Variations in thickness cause an unequal shrinkage (which in the case of porcelain can be up to almost 20%), which increases the risk of fractures. He needed to design not only the right shape, which would counteract the different tensions in the material, but the production process itself as well. With regard to the creative process itself, Brekveld began with a foam model, which was used to make a mould that had an opening at the bottom that could be closed off. The porcelain could be poured into the mall from the top in the usual manner. After the first layer had thickened, the gap at the bottom was briefly opened up to allow a small portion of the porcelain to be removed from the mould. This procedure was repeated several times, enabling the wall to become thicker toward the bottom. Next, the shape was dried very carefully and then baked. The bowl was completed and completed by adding an elegant label. Brekveld not only designs shapes, but even designs the way they can be manufactured. Although the products may look simple, if you take a closer look at the details, the sheer ingenuity of the creative process becomes clear.

phrases from a text by Louise Schouwenberg