Porcelain sculptures, with their delicate yet enduring nature, serve as a powerful medium for artists to explore themes of containment and release. The fragility of porcelain mirrors the tension between holding and letting go, while its transformative firing process symbolizes rebirth and liberation.

Artists often shape porcelain into vessels or enclosed forms to represent containment—whether emotional, societal, or existential. The smooth, unbroken surfaces of these works evoke a sense of restraint or isolation. Conversely, cracked, fragmented, or flowing designs suggest release, as seen in pieces where porcelain appears to melt or burst open.

Techniques like slip-casting or hand-building allow for precise control, enabling artists to manipulate the material’s boundaries. Glazes and textures further amplify these themes; opaque finishes may imply concealment, while translucent layers hint at vulnerability and escape.

From Yeesookyung’s reassembled shards to Edmund de Waal’s minimalist installations, porcelain becomes a metaphor for human experiences—capturing moments of tension, rupture, and transcendence. Through this medium, artists invite viewers to reflect on the duality of confinement and freedom.