Ceramics can be practical, decorative, or purely sculptural, but Polish artist Agata Iwaszkiewicz rarely seems interested in keeping those categories separate. Through her small brand, Ceramika Matylda, she creates peculiar creatures and everyday objects that feel less like conventional pottery and more like characters with lives of their own. Animals appear throughout her work, often with oversized eyes, elongated limbs, exaggerated ears, tiny teeth, and wonderfully odd expressions. Their irregular proportions and expressive faces give them the feeling of characters from some strange, handmade universe rather than straightforward representations of real animals.
The handmade character of the ceramics is also central to their appeal. Uneven surfaces, subtle asymmetry, visible textures, and delicate glaze variations make each piece feel individual. Rather than aiming for perfect repetition, Agata allows the quirks of the material and the making process to become part of each character. Many of these creations also have a practical side. Sculptural figures become vessels, candle holders, salt shakers, oil burners, dishes, vases, and other objects meant to live alongside their owners. Sometimes the function is immediately obvious, while in other pieces it almost feels like an afterthought, a surprising little feature hidden inside a sculpture that already works on its own. There is often a slightly darker edge beneath the humor, too. On her website, Agata describes the worlds contained in her work as places where tenderness, playfulness, darkness, and the grotesque can coexist. Dogs hold an especially important place in her work. Some of her recent ceramic poodles were inspired by her late dog Rudolf, turning the series into both a tribute and a way of remembering the joy he brought into her life.
We reached out to Agata to learn more about her process and where these delightfully strange creations come from. Scroll down to read the full interview and see a selection of her creations.
