Amande Haeghen, a Lisbon-based ceramicist and designer, explores fundamental contrasts - strength and fragility, the ephemeral and the permanent, materiality and immateriality. By combining clay and glass, two opposing materials, she examines our relationship with time, memory, and nature.
Her work explores fundamental contrasts - strength and fragility, the ephemeral and the permanent, materiality and immateriality. By combining clay and glass, two opposing materials, she examines our relationship with time, memory, and nature.
Glass, fragile and elusive, becomes a constantly transforming medium in her hands. Through complex techniques such as cutting, fusing, and thermoforming, she shapes it while respecting its unpredictable nature. Clay, in contrast, is solid and grounded, embodying the tangible world’s stability. This dialogue between materials symbolizes the human condition - both vulnerable and resilient.
Inspired by nature and the landscapes of her childhood, from the Arcachon Basin and the Dune du Pilat to the wild coasts of Portugal, Amande does not seek to imitate nature but rather to capture its essence. Her creations act as imprints of fleeting moments, revealing the beauty in transience.
Beyond nature, her work also explores memory and heritage. Through triptychs composed of a stone, its porcelain imprint, and its glass reflection, she evokes the transmission of knowledge across generations. These pieces tell stories of women - grandmothers, mothers, and daughters - embodying a shared memory transformed by time.
Each sculpture, both tangible and timeless, invites reflection on our connection to nature, time, and ourselves.
https://www.instagram.com/amandehaeghen/
Photos courtesy of © Amande Haeghen
