Silence and Gesture

Silence and Gesture — 静けさと所作 (Shizukesa to Shosa)

A collection inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony

I created this small collection in a special moment.
These two vases were born from my deep fascination with the Japanese tea ceremony (Chanoyu), where everything is about gesture, silence, and intention.
Each piece was designed as part of a dialogue — one speaks of structure, of quiet preparation. The other, of offering, of gentle welcome.

I named this series Silence and Gesture — 静けさと所作 because that’s how I feel what happens between the hands and the clay.
It’s an encounter. A pause. A more present way of seeing and making.

I’m still at the beginning of my journey as a ceramic artist, but these two pieces represent an important step.
They were made slowly, with care, research, and respect — for the technique, the culture, and the time required at each stage.

By admin, 14 March, 2026

Silêncio e Gesto

Two vases. Two paths.
One shows the marks of the hand. The other keeps silence on its surface.

Both pieces were made in stoneware and fired at 1250 °C. One received a lighter and rougher finish, allowing the gesture of the hand-building process to remain visible. The other is dark, matte, and more restrained.

They are part of the collection Gesture and Silence.

While one piece reveals the movement of the hand, the other holds stillness. The two exist in balance.

Between gesture and silence, the Japanese influence in my beginnings.

Before shaping my first large piece, I had already made more than 200 small ones. Cups, small plates, ornaments. Pieces made slowly, one by one, learning along the way.
I keep them all with care. They are part of my beginning.

It was in the studio of my teacher, Magali Ercolin, that something changed.

One day she showed me a book that was there among the materials, almost as if it had been waiting to be found.

The book is called:

「手びねりでつくる食の器」
(Tableware made with hand-building techniques)

Renata Catena at the 55th Koguei Bunkyo Art Exhibition

My work began at a moment when I was looking for silence. I found it in clay.

My name is Renata Catena and I am still at the beginning of my journey in ceramics. I have been learning little by little, with my hands and with time, through attempts, mistakes, and small successes that keep me encouraged.

I come from a very busy life. I run businesses and social projects, but it was in ceramics that I found a different place. A slower rhythm. A more present kind of time.

Silence and Gesture