Porcelain, with its luminous translucency and delicate nature, has long been a medium for artists to explore themes of impermanence and fragility. By embracing the material’s inherent vulnerability, ceramicists create works that evoke the fleeting nature of existence, memory, and beauty.

One technique involves intentionally leaving cracks or imperfections in the glaze, symbolizing the passage of time. Others craft ultra-thin porcelain pieces that appear almost weightless, emphasizing their precariousness. Some artists even incorporate elements of decay, such as gilding that tarnishes or forms that slowly disintegrate when exposed to water.

Contemporary creators like Edmund de Waal and Clare Twomey push boundaries by arranging fragmented porcelain shards or designing installations that invite viewer interaction—risking breakage to underscore life’s transience. Through these methods, porcelain becomes more than a material; it transforms into a poetic meditation on what it means to be temporary yet enduring.