Untitled No. 56 Vase by Marea HildebrandHandmadeDimensions: D 44 x W 44 x H 51 cmMaterials: Stoneware with slip.Marea Hildebrand (b. 1989) is a Zurich-based ceramic artist with an MA in Transdisciplinary Studies from Zurich University of the Arts. During her master's program, she became the Director of the School of Commons—an international education program dedicated to the study and development of peer learning in arts and cultures. She has curated numerous exhibitions or conferences across several countries and co-juried for art and design prizes.Hildebrand is a self-taught ceramicist with a background in painting and textiles who uses the coil method to hand-build works that sometimes reach near to two meters in height. The unique surfaces of her pots are the result of a multi-firing technique and countless hours of painting and etching rhythmic patterns, creating one-of-a-kind pieces she refers to as surrogates of her emotions. Embracing imperfections and the beauty of transience, she crafts serene works that resonate with a deep sense of calm. Hildebrand has referred to her practice as a way to set aside the restlessness of thought, let her hands do the thinking, and find comfort in the weight and presence of natural materials and seemingly archetypal shapes. Her upcoming exhibitions in Berlin and New York, along with commissions in Saudi Arabia, have led to the expansion of her practice in scale.Her inspirations include Japanese and Korean ceramic art, as well as the philosophy of 侘び寂び (wabi-sabi).