Marjorie Waks showcases the discipline and poetry of her graphic ceramics in 'Le Foyer'

"I don’t usually try to imitate anything in my ceramic pieces. Instead, I am trying to create works that occupy space uniquely, asserting their own presence and originality," shares French ceramicist and designer Marjorie Waks, on the patterns and attributes that she attempts to emulate in her works. In line with this, Waks' ceramic pieces, which come in varied shapes and sizes and are engraved with arbitrary geometric patterns, bear a prominent aura without adopting an overtly domineering appearance. Her body of work includes table lamps, wall lights, vases, bowls and sculptural mirror frames, the shapes of which are derived from primary forms of cylinders, circles and domes, and which are ornamented by lozenges and beads embedded in clay.

While Waks typically works on smaller pieces, her ongoing exhibition Le Foyer at the Pradier-Jeauneau gallery in Paris, France, features larger pieces sculpted from ceramic and aluminium. On view from November 7 - December 22, 2024, this is Waks' first solo exhibition.

Le Foyer translates to 'The Fireplace', a title that prologues the warm and intimate environment within the gallery. Awash in warm light, Waks' towering pieces, crafted by mixing earth and aluminium, appear as totems that designate the viewing gallery as a space for meditation and contemplation. With Le Foyer, the Parisian artist and designer invites visitors to enter a space of refuge. Although populated with sculptures, furniture and lighting items, Waks pieces manage to imbue the environment with an effervescent aura with the play of patterns, illumination and light materials.

"I am by nature very organised, someone who feels the need to establish a framework to get things done," the ceramic artist admits. "My repetition of patterns and orders contributes to a kind of reassurance. A desire to define a world over which I have some control, even though, however structured my work, I completely let go when I'm making the pieces. They impose their logic on me," she adds.

Although Waks' work is largely graphic and abstract, several pieces evoke specific references. While some vases are reminiscent of mediaeval turrets, certain lamp designs evoke Mayan pyramids while others serve as reminders of flying saucers from science fiction narratives.

For Le Foyer, the gallery space is divided into three zones, across three rooms. Referred to as an intimate temple, a powerful gynaeceum and a generous fortress, each section within the gallery is designed to embody the descriptions suggested by their moniker. Waks' graphic works, characterised by abstract patterns, serve as reminders of the illuminated sky. It is perhaps for this reason that one witnesses a calmness in the vicinity of her sculptural art pieces while also discerning a pull towards imagining new futures.

"With this installation, the artist demonstrates her creative force. These works are the meeting of a craft—ceramics, and a practice—architecture. This rich dialogue places Marjorie Waks at the cutting edge of design, moving away from the industrial fabrication to emphasise the work of the hand, without ever forgetting either functionality or artistic reflection," reads an excerpt from the show's press release.

In terms of processes, the French designer first finalises the form of her ceramic designs on AutoCAD. This preference for a design software application stems from Waks' training as an interior architect. AutoCAD helps Waks easily visualise the proportions of the pieces she intends to craft. This disparate technique in ceramic art imbues Waks' pieces with a more monumental aspect. Waks works from her garden, surrounded by greenery, a locale that she credits for her inspirations.

When asked about some of the challenges faced while making these pieces and how she overcame them, Waks shares, "I try to push the limits of the material. Ceramics are very delicate and many of its stages are risky, especially when creating large-scale pieces. This challenge is something that motivates me."

'Le Foyer' is on view from November 7 - December 22, 2024, at the Pradier-Jeauneau gallery, 32 rue de Verneuil, Paris 7, France.