Entrapped
Folding in Motion
Wall Objects
Biography
The abstract porcelain sculptures by Israeli artist Simcha Even-Chen explore themes of tension and balance, the opposition between chance and planning, the surprising and the predictable, stability and movement.
Simcha Even-Chen: sculptor and scientist
Simcha Even-Chen (1958) lives and works in Rehovot, a town near Tel Aviv in Israel. She wasn’t always a sculptor: after obtaining a doctorate in human microbiology at Tel Aviv University, she pursued a remarkable scientific career at the Hebrew University Medical School in Jerusalem. She discovered ceramics while recovering from surgery, and began practising in her spare time. In 2013, she turned down a major promotion to devote herself entirely to her artistic passion.
Simcha Even-Chen says that her background as a scientist still influences her way of thinking and her creative approach: “Science has pushed me to experiment and taught me that patience and perseverance lead to improved results“. Influences from her past include the work of her father, who developed sophisticated machinery for agriculture. The fact that all her works begin with a cylindrical slab stems from her fascination with the iron plates, sheets and pipes she saw in his workshop.
The development of the technique guided by experimentation
Simcha Even-Chen’s sculptural work developed in several stages, each giving rise to research and experimentation that enabled her to explore each technique and gradually define her personal approach. She began by learning how to turn and glaze, followed by firing and smoking techniques using sawdust and metal salts to obtain a very rich tactile surface without glaze. She then built her pieces from slabs with a mixture of stoneware and porcelain and used the Naked Raku technique to achieve greater flexibility and complexity. She used this technique between 2011 and 2017, producing abstract black and white sculptures with crackled effects and patterns.
Driven by a desire to make the form of her sculptures more natural, dynamic and organic, Simcha Even-Chen then began working with paper porcelain (porcelain with 0.5% paper fibre added for greater flexibility). The artist is not interested in the typical characteristics of porcelain, such as transparency, fragility or whiteness; rather, she is testing the physical limits of the material, in particular its ability to collapse during firing without breaking or cracking. She prepares different elements and assembles them to create new combinations of shapes. During the final firing, the settling of the porcelain adds an element of surprise to the final result.
“I want my work to be like an organic, autonomous being, and the unpredictability of collapse and deformation fulfils this need.” Simcha Even-Chen
The use of colour and graphic elements
For this new production, with its more fluid forms, the contemporary sculptor wanted to add colour to her works, which she sees as a means of eliciting unique and personal emotional and psychological reactions from observers.
Simcha Even-Chen’s research into colours and their combinations is inspired by the temples and markets she visited in India, the ceramic works of the American Ron Nagle, the book The Interaction of Colours by Joseph Albers, and the fields of textiles and fashion.
The artist’s recent work is marked by a final graphic element: grid-like lines and motifs borrowed from graph paper. These geometric patterns create a contrast with the organic shapes of the sculptures, giving them a soft, light appearance. Thanks to a subtle illusion, the porcelain is visually transformed before the viewer’s eyes into a fabric or ribbon.
“I have always been fascinated by the harmony of the connections between precise architectural elements with complex surface treatments and colour. It is possible to produce perfect objects that are both aesthetically appealing and intellectually stimulating.” Simcha Even-Chen
A brilliant international career
Simcha Even-Chen’s work has been exhibited in museums, galleries, art centres and biennales around the world. Her contemporary sculptures have joined international museum collections specialising in ceramics, as well as private collections. Since 2006, the artist has won numerous prizes and residencies, and more recently she has been a member of the jury for several international ceramics competitions. She has been a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (ICA) since 2011.
Simcha Even-Chen at “Collapse Exhibition”, 2022
Artworks realised during her residency at Künstlerhaus Stadttöpferei, Neumünster, Germany, November 2022
Simcha Even-Chen at Ceramic Art Andenne (CAA) International Competition, Belgium, 2022
Honorable Mention, XXX Contemporary Ceramics Competition “Mediterranean”, Grottagile Museum, Grottaglie, Italy, 2023
CV
Education
- 2011: Member in the International Academy of Ceramic (IAC)
- 1996-2013: Senior Scientist at Biochemistry Department at the Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
- 1994-1996: Post Doc. at Biochemistry Department at the Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
- 1994-1996: Night courses in ceramic art at Rehovot Culture Foundation, Rehovot, Israel
- 1985-1990: Doctor of Philosophy, Tel Aviv University, Human Microbiology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 1981-1985: Master of Science, Tel Aviv University, Human Microbiology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 1978-1981: Bachelor of Science, Bar-Ilan University, Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ramat-Gain, Israel
Solo exhibitions
- 2019: “Folding in Motion”, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche (MIC), Faience, Italy
- 2017: Duo Show Giovanna Strada – Simcha Even-Chen, ESH Gallery, Milan, Italy
- 2016: “The Black / The White/ The Fire”, Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Hoehr-Grenzhausen, Germany
- 2014: “Balance in Motion”, Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Group exhibitions
- 2023: “The Journey of Ceramics” Jingdezhen International Ceramic Biennale, Jingdezhen, China
- 2023: Exhibition “Blanc de Chine”, International Ceramic Art Award Competition (ICAA), Winland Center, Hangzhou, China
- 2023: 16th International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics, Aveiro, Portugal
- 2023: High Temperature Festival of Metal, Ceramic and glass, Fine Art Academy, Wroclaw, Poland
- 2023: 5th International Ceramic Triennial UNICUM, National Museum, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 2022: XV International Biennial of Contemporary Ceramics, Manises, Spain
- 2022: Ceramic Art Andenne (CAA) Competition, Belgium
- 2022: “Identity Matters” Exhibition, Benyamini Ceramics Center, Tel-Aviv Israel
- 2021: XV International Biennial of Ceramic Art, Aveiro museum, Portugal
- 2021: “No border” Exhibition, The Municipal Art Gallery, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- 2021: Contemporary Silicone Art Exhibition, Nick Gallery, Pẻcs, Hungary
- 2021: The Personal Universal Visual Exhibition by 50 women: A celebration of women’s Contribution to Ceramic, NCECA, USA
- 2021: “UNCERTAIN TIMES and BEYONED….” – Invitational International Ceramic Exhibition, Turkey
- 2020: The 4th “china-CHINA” Ceramic Art Design Exhibition, Shangyu, China
- 2020: Winner’s Exhibition – X Biennale International de Ceramic at Portal del Pardo, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2020: 40th International Ceramic Competition of L’Alcora, Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2020: Distant Ceramic International Ceramic Online Exhibition (2nd Edition)
- 2020: Taiwan Ceramic Biennale, Yingge Ceramic Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- 2020: Distant Ceramic International Ceramic Online Exhibition (1st Edition)
- 2020: “Out of Line” Exhibition, Benyamini Contemporary Ceramic Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 2019: Winner’s Exhibition – “Blanc de Chine”, International Ceramic Art Award Competition (ICAA), Musée Massena, Nice, France
- 2019: X International Ceramic Biennale, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2019: “Fire and Earth” Exhibition – Contemporary Craft from Israel, ESH Gallery, Milan, Italy
- 2019: Korean International Ceramic Biennale (KICB), Incheon, South Korea
- 2018: MARTINSONS AWARD, Mark Rothko Art Center, Daugavpils, Latvia
- 2018: IAC Members’ Exhibition, Yingge Ceramic Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- 2018: 38th International Ceramic Competition of L’Alcora Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2016: IAC Members’ Exhibition: Ceramics in Architecture and Public Spaces, Disseny Hub Museum, Barcelona, Spain
- 2016: Eight Biennale for Israeli Ceramic: “Wet / Fired”, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 2015: Cluj International Ceramic Biennale, Cluj-Napoca Museum of Art, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- 2015: “ENFLAMED”, Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, USA
- 2015: 59th Faenza Prize – International Competition of Contemporary Ceramic Art, MIC, Faience, Italy
- 2015: XX International Ceramic Contest, “Ciudad De Valladolid”, Valladolid, Spain
- 2014: 4th International Triennial of Silicate Arts, Goatskemet, Hungary
- 2014: ELEMENTALS: Women Sculpting Animism, Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, USA
- 2014: Moving Objects, IAC Members’ Exhibition, Dublin, Ireland
- 2014: Raku, Wilfrid Israel Museum of Art, Hazorea, Israel
- 2014: Raku Ceramics: “Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression”, Sedona Art Center, Sedona, Arizona, USA
- 2013: Cluj International Ceramic Biennale, Cluj-Napoca Museum of Art, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- 2013: Restless II – Mix Exhibition, Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, USA
- 2013: 33rd International Ceramic Competition, L’Alcora Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2013: 6th International Biennial Ceramics “Ciudad de Talavera” La Reina, Spain
- 2012: 16 Biennal de Ceramica d’Esplugues Anglina Alos, Museu Can Tinturẻ, Esplugues, Spain
- 2012: Winners Exhibition – VI Biennale International de Ceramic at Portal del Pardo, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2012: IAC members’ Exhibition, New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, USA
- 2012: CERAMICA MULTIPLEX, Museum of Varaždin, Croatia
- 2012: 32th International Ceramic Competition, L’Alcora Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2012: IV Biennale International de Ceramic de Marratxí (BICMA), Museum Del Fang, Marratxí, Spain
- 2011: 1st China Kaolin Grand Prix for International ceramic art, Jingdezhen, China
- 2011: VI Biennale International de Ceramic, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2011: XII International Ex-tempore of Ceramics, Obalne Galerije Piran, Slovenia
- 2011: 81th Exhibition of pottery and Ceramic of La Rambla, Córdoba, Spain
- 2011: 3rd International Triennial of Silicate Arts, theme “Century 21”, Kecskemet, Hungary
- 2011: CERCO, International Prize of Contemporary Ceramics, Saragossa, Spain
- 2011: 6th Biennale for Israeli Ceramic “Ceramic Design: Techno. Logical Implements” Eretz-Israel Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 2011: “Smooth & Smoky”, Vessels Gallery, Boston, USA
- 2011: 39th Gangjin Festival International Ceramic Exhibition, Korea
- 2010: XI International Ex-tempore of ceramic, Obalne Galerije Piran, Slovenia
- 2010: III Biennale International de Ceramic de Marratxí (BICMA), Museum Del Fang, Marratxí, Spain
- 2010: 12th Biennale de la Céramique, Andenne, Belgium
- 2010: Keramikos, Ceramic Art International Festival, Artidec Gallery, Bracciano, Rome, Italy
- 2009: 9th Biennale International de Ceramic, Manises, Valencia, Spain
- 2009: 6th International Biannual of Ceramics of the City of Kapfenberg, theme “At the Moment”, Kapfenberg, Austria
- 2009: V Biennale de Ceramic, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2009: International Ceramic Competition, theme “The Cup and Saucer”, Musée De Carouge, Carouge, Switzerland
- 2009: X International Ex-tempore of Ceramic, Obalne Galerije Piran, Slovenia
- 2009: LXXIX Exhibition of Pottery and Ceramic of La Rambla, Córdoba, Spain
- 2009: 29th International Ceramic Competition, L’Alcora, Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2009: 1st International Ceramic Triennial UNICUM 09, Metelkova National Museum, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 2009: CERAMICA MULTIPLEX, Museum of Varaždin, Croatia
- 2009: “Ceramic Space & life” the Korean International Ceramic Biennale (KICB), Incheon, South Korea
- 2008: 5th Biennale for Israeli Ceramic “Clay, Sensation”, Eretz-Israel Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 2008: LXXVIII Exhibition of Pottery and Ceramic of La Rambla, Córdoba, Spain
- 2008: 26th Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Australia
- 2008: II Biennale International de Ceramic de Marratxí – BICMA – Museum Del Fang, Marratxí, Spain
- 2008: Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramic Award, Shepperton Art Gallery in association with La Trobe University, Shepparton, Australia
- 2007: 8th Biennale International de Ceramic, Manises, Valencia, Spain
- 2007: CERCO, International Prize of Contemporary Ceramics, Saragossa, Spain
- 2007: Korean International Ceramic Biennale (KICB), Incheon, South Korea
- 2006: 26th International Ceramic Competition, L’Alcora Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2005: International Ceramic Competition, theme “Le Vase Soliflore”, Musée De Carouge, Carouge, Switzerland
- 2004: Third Israeli Biennale for Ceramics, “Design, Art, Design”, Eretz-Israel Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 2002: Second Israeli Biennale for Ceramics, Eretz-Israel Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- 2000: “Clay 2000” the First Israeli Biennale for Ceramics, Eretz-Israel Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Collections
- 2022: Museo de ceramic de Manises, Spain
- 2022: Ceramic Museum, Arandjelovac, Serbia
- 2021, 2018: Yingge Ceramic Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- 2019: Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche (MIC), Faience, Italy
- 2019: Faenza Art Ceramic Center (FACC), Faience, Italy
- 2019: “Blanc de Chine” International Ceramic Art Award (ICAA), China
- 2019: Town Council Art Collection, El Vederell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2019: International Ceramic Studio (ICS), Kecskement, Hungary
- 2017: Modern Ceramic Art Museum, Shangyu, China
- 2016: Musée Ariana, Geneva, Switzerland
- 2016: Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Hoehr-Grenzhausen, Germany
- 2015: Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche (MIC), Faience, Italy
- 2015: Shenhou International Ceramic Art Commune, Henan, China
- 2014: State Art Collection, Dublin, Ireland
- 2013: Museo de ceramic de L’Alcora, Valencia, Spain
- 2012: Museu Can Tinturé, Esplugues, Spain
- 2012: The American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California, USA
- 2012: Museum Del Fang, Marratxí, Spain
- 2011: Great China Museum, Jingdezhen, China
- 2011: Town Council Art Collection, El Vederell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2011: Ganjin Celadon Museum, Korea
- 2010: Obalne Galerije Piran, Slovenia
- 2009: Museum of Ceramic of La Rambla, Córdoba, Spain
- 2008: Gold Cost City Art Gallery, Australia
- 2007: Incheon World Ceramic Exposition Foundation (WOCEF), Korea
- 2006: Museo de ceramic de L’Alcora, Valencia, Spain
- 2000: Eretz-Israel Museum – Tel Aviv, Israel
Private collections (Israel, Europe, USA)
Awards & Residencies
Awards
- 2024: 5th Siegburg Ceramics Award, Siegburg City Museum, Siegburg, Germany
- 2023: First Prize in CERCO International Contemporary Ceramic Competition, Zaragoza, Spain
- 2023: Honorable Mention, XXX Contemporary Ceramics Competition “Mediterranean”, Grottagile Museum, Grottaglie, Italy
- 2022: Israeli Ministry of Culture Award in Design Category
- 2022: Second Prize “Diputació de Valéncia”, XV international Biennial of Contemporary Ceramics, Manises, Spain
- 2022: Mention of Jury Award – Ceramic Art Andenne (CAA) Competition, Belgium
- 2022: “Ceramic Artist Exchange – Tandem” Scholarship for 4 weeks residency at Künstlerhaus Stadttöpferei Neumünster, Germany
- 2021: Honorable Mention, The Personal Universal Visual Exhibition by 50 women: A celebration of women’s
Contribution to Ceramic, NCECA, USA - 2019: Excellent Prize, “Blanc de Chine”, International Ceramic Art Award Competition (ICAA), China
- 2019: Second Prize, X International Ceramic Biennale, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2019: Honorable Mention, Korean International Ceramic Biennale (KICB), Incheon, South Korea
- 2015: Honorable Mention, Cluj International Ceramic Biennale, Cluj-Napoca Museum of Art, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- 2015: First Special Mention, XX International Ceramic Contest, “Ciudad De Valladolid”, Valladolid, Spain
- 2013: Second Prize, 33rd International Ceramic Competition of L’Alcora Museum, Valencia, Spain
- 2012: Third Prize “C. PUJOL I BAUSIS AWARD”, 16 Biennal de Ceramica d’Esplugues Anglina Alos, Museu Can Tinturẻ, Esplugues, Spain
- 2012: First Prize “ILLIS BALERAS”, IV Biennale International de Ceramic de Marratxí (BICMA), Museum Del Fang, Marratxí, Spain
- 2011: Gold Award, 1st China Kaolin Grand Prix for International ceramic art, Jingdezhen, China
- 2011: Second Prize, VI Biennale International de Ceramic, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2011: Grand Prix, STUDIO GALERIJA GASSPAR PIRAN, XII International Ex-tempore of Ceramics, Obalne Galerije Piran, Slovenia
- 2010: Purchase Prize, SCARBO d.o.o, KOPER, XI International Ex-tempore of ceramic, Obalne Galerije Piran, Slovenia
- 2009: Honorable Mention, V Biennale de Ceramic, El Vendrell, Tarragona, Spain
- 2009: First Prize in the Competition “Design and New Forms” in Ceramic, LXXIX Exhibition of Pottery and Ceramic of La Rambla, Córdoba, Spain
- 2008: Winner of 26th Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Australia
- 2007: Honorable Mention, Korean International Ceramic Biennale (KICB), Incheon, South Korea
- 2006: Second Prize, 26th International Ceramic Competition of L’Alcora Museum,Valencia, Spain
Residencies & Symposia
- 2024: Three month residency, Yingge Ceramics Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- 2022: One month residency, Künstlerhaus Stadttöpferei Neumünster, Germany
- 2021: International Ceramic Symposium “World of Ceramics”, Arandjelovac, Serbia
- 2019: International Ceramic Symposium, ICS, Kecskemet, Hungary
- 2019: One month residency as a guest artist at Faenza Art Ceramic Center (FACC), Italy
- 2018: IX International Ceramic Symposium, Römhild, Thuringia, Germany
- 2017: Two months residency as a guest artist at Shangyu Celadon Modern International Center, Shangyu, China
- 2017: Maskabal Ceramic Symposium, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
- 2017: International Art Symposium “BAIKAK-CERAMYSTICA.ICE”, Irkutsk, Siberia
- 2016: International Mediterrian Terracotta Symposium, Nicosia, Cyprus
- 2015: Second International Jun-Porcelain Ceramic Creation Camp in Henan, Shenhou, China
- 2015: International Ceramic Art Symposium “Ceramic Laboratory”, Daugavpils, Latvia
- 2014: International Ceramic Symposium Innsbruck – Tirol (IKSIT), Austria
- 2013: International Symposium of Ceramic Art (ISCA) V-Oglje, Slovenia
Publications
- 2022: “Simcha Even-Chen: Folding in Motion” by Vicent Roda Cardona, REVISTA CERAMICA CONTEMPORANIA terrart, Issue 60, 2022
- 2022: “Simcha Even-Chen – Balance between Control and Chance” by Elisabeth Eyl, De kleine K Magazine, Issue 85, January 2022
- 2021: Simcha Even-Chen / The Potter Who Was “Delayed” By the Scientific Career, Published by Blanc De Chine, July 2021
- 2021: “Pattern, Colors and Fluidity”, by Simcha Even-Chen, Ceramic Ireland Magazine, Issue 45, 2021
- 2019: Simcha Even-Chen, by Ting Ju Shao, Taiwan “Artist” Magazine, Issue 528, May 2019
- 2017: Black and White Naked Raku – workshop conducted by Simcha Even-Chen, Indian Ceramic Magazine, Volume 2, 2017
- 2016: Interview, with Simcha Even-Chen, Israel by Evelyne Schoenmann, Potter Council Board Member, April 2016
- 2015: In the studio with Simcha Even-Chen by Evelyne Schoenmann, New Ceramic Magazine, Issue 4, 2015
- 2013: Simcha Even-Chen article by Antonio Vivas, REVISTA INTERNATIONAL CERAMICA, Issue 130, 2013
- 2012: Simcha Even-Chen article by Maria Ramis, REVISTA CERAMICA CONTEMPORANIA terrart, Issue 41, 2012
- 2012: “Rhythms” article by Simcha Even-Chen, 1280˚C Magazine, Issue 25, 2012
- 2012: “Jingdezhen – Ceramic Paradise” article by Simcha Even-Chen, Ceramic Vision, 2012
- 2011-2012: Simcha Even-Chen, Ceramic Now Magazine, No.1/Winter 2011-2012
- 2012: Simcha Even-Chen article by Gordon Flouds, Ceramic Art and Perception, Issue 87, 2012
- 2010: “The Poetics of Mathematics” article by Sara Hkkert, Ceramic Review Magazine, Issue 243, May/June 2010
- 2010: Making Sequence, Simcha Even-Chen Practice, Ceramic Review Magazine, Issue 243, May/June 2010
- 2008: Craft & Art international Magazine profile by Gordon Flouds, Even-Chen Simcha: Gold Cost International Ceramic Award 2008, issue 75, page 91-93
- 2001: “Smoke firing” article by Simcha Even-Chen, 1280˚C Magazine, Issue 2, 2001