"I create ceramics simply because I can't live without doing it. I need to “keep making the porcelain”, said Esmeralda Purviške.

Esmeralda Purviške is an artist, designer who works with ceramics and is the creator of the brand "Esse Ceramics". Zahars Ze is a graphic artist who works as an illustrator and graphic designer, sometimes also as a street artist. Although each of them came to porcelain in a different way, they have been working together in the "Krasta keramika" studio in Riga for more than five years now. Starting with the first work created together, the symbiosis of Esmeralda Purviškė and Zahar Ze is so close that currently the artists no longer distinguish specific individual authorship and sign their favorites as joint works.

The works of Esmeralda and Zahar have an unmistakable visuality. The first to attract attention are the bright images. Bright, clean colors, blocks of color and their rhythmic arrangements, in which are visible the outlines of people, animals, plants - the characters go somewhere, do something, something happens to them. But they wouldn't stand out so much if they weren't based on an equally expressive form on which to work. Functional items such as mugs, glasses, jugs, vases, plates, candlesticks, as well as abstract objects and sculptures are an original contribution to Latvian porcelain design. The cheerful aesthetic is only the first approximation. If you take a closer look, you can see both a wise and attentive study of Latvian ceramic greats, as well as a carefully crafted original design and a unique vision. For both authors, it is equally important that the created object includes not only aesthetic qualities, but is also functional.

The exhibition "Making Porcelain" is the first time that the works of Esmeralda Purviške and Zahar Ze are exhibited in the Riga Porcelain Museum. Previously, a brief glimpse was seen in the group's exhibition "Testing nowadays II" (2021), where visitors could see the cans and cups created by Esmeraldas Purviške were displayed among ten other Latvian designers' products. On the other hand, this is the time when all the attention is undividedly focused on this unique creative couple. The latest porcelain works specially created for the exhibition will be on display at the exhibition, with rich decoration in a range of seven colors. In a sunny, summery way, visitors will see the continuation of the favorite lines of artists. Esmeralda further develops her already iconic tableware set, adding new types of objects and introducing delicate, sensual color decoration. Zahar gives the features of human figures to porcelain products of various shapes. Both large, decorative vases and plates, usable pitchers, mugs and bowls will be on display, as well as sculptured, abstract objects and their installations, showing how narrow and easily overflowing is the border between understandable, usable and what is pure, joyful art.

The authors' creativity has been financially supported by the State Cultural Capital Fund.

Publicity image - Esmeralda Purviške and Zahars Ze. 2023. Photo – Gvido Kajons