About

Irene de Vilder (1997) is a ceramic artist from the Netherlands. Since 2022 she has been based in Lisbon, where she is completing her Master’s degree in Glass and Ceramic Art and Science. Her work has been exhibited in various exhibitions throughout Portugal. She also participated in the Ceramic Biennial of Aveiro in 2023 and 2025. The vessel is a central element in her practice. Whether it appears in its simplest form or as the core of a more complex sculptural piece, the vessel remains at the heart of her work. By starting from this fundamental shape and building upon it, she transforms vessels into sculptures that feel familiar yet unexpected.

Artist statement

Most ceramic sculptures contain an interior space within them, and once we recognize this, the vessel becomes a central element in all ceramic works. For me this is not coincidental; I deliberately use the vessel as an anchor from which I build. Its three-dimensionality naturally opens up associations with other objects, and I use this as a driving force in my practice. Each vessel I make sparks the idea for the next, creating a continuous and intentional process. Because the clay vessel form the core of my work, I keep each piece true to its essence, using only terra sigillata and burnishing to finish the surface and allowing the form itself to hold the focus.