Pani Jurek crafts wavy ceramic vases that embody the joyous language of painting

In a world infatuated by silent whispers of minimalism, neutral tones and clean geometries, what is our relationship with colours and the abstract? Do these atypical semantics bridge imagination with reality, or are they, in essence, mundane after all—unlike the acts of rebellion they are oftentimes deemed? The surging popularity of vibrant colour palettes and irregular silhouettes subverting right angles, and plain blacks, whites and greys, testifies. As bright, loud colours step out of artworks to envelop furniture, accessories, sculptures and even entire built spaces, we witness a new wave where eccentricity is not ‘different,’ but a joy usually discounted.

“I love to hide meanings in objects, even if they are only readable to me. Little obsessions, memories, and lasting fascinations merge with everyday observations. It is wonderful to see how such disparate phenomena or observations come together in the form of an object,” says artist and designer Magda Jurek. Straddling the border between fine arts, crafts and design, her design studio Pani Jurek, founded in 2010 and based in Warsaw, Poland, creates applied art objects in an artisanal manner. The studio's oeuvre features compositions, majorly ceramic, that transcend conventional functions in pursuit of interaction. The latest collection by Pani Jurek is called Barva—ceramic vases unabashedly flaunting vibrant colours, wavy lines, contrasts, textures and subtle tonal transitions. “My projects are personal, they mature for a long time. They combine several threads, which at the right moment or under some impulse, come together,” shares Jurek.

A painting graduate, Jurek refrains from designing under a brief—she thinks of objects as signs, sculptures or installations, treating them as a canvas for building compositions. Colours, stains, textures and shapes yield abstract compositions and forms that morph into a medium of expression. The social projects and non-commercial initiatives that the designer engages in often become the trigger for the creation of usable product designs. With interactivity at the crux, these creations are designed in response to their surroundings as well as the people who use them. This is achieved while keeping in mind the functionality of the products—possibilities tamed by ergonomics and materials.

For the Barva vases, the product designer utilises the language of painting. The four flat shapes of the matching vases can be arranged and rearranged into various intriguing configurations. The ensemble combines abstract geometric forms of objects with the organic world of plants, offering endless possibilities and emphasising their beauty in contrast. The collection's name—Barva—can be traced to the theory and reception of colours as a compilation of objective physical properties as well as the viewer’s subjective emotions. The vases are conceived in a limited series of surprising colours and tonal transitions achieved through the manual process of glazing and engobing. Evocative of squiggly brushstrokes, the wavy vases, when placed together, concoct abstract compositions that look striking even without plants. The designs can also be mounted on the wall using designated hangers to form unique decorative reliefs.

Fascination with the material, especially ceramics, and respect for its possibilities and limitations is conspicuous throughout Pani Jurek's products. All the objects are handcrafted in a small workshop under the designer’s supervision. The handmade process renders an element of uniqueness while the artisanal method ensures that the maker has direct control over the entire process. Behind every manufactured item, from start to finish, there is a specific person—their experience, talent, manual skills, material knowledge and intensive effort. “To create an object, one uses the full potential of one's movements, senses, and attention. This gives full control over the quality of the products and brings to the craft, the essential human touch,” reads the studio’s official release.

Jurek, through her imaginative creations, makes the viewers privy to a joyous universe of colours, gradients, and abstruse figures, as in a universe of painting. Almost akin to colourful puzzle pieces waiting to be put together, the Barva vases defy conventions—exuding joy and playfulness that is reciprocated by anyone who looks at them.