The Matter Between Us is an assemblage, an evolving body composed of regionally collected materials: clay, wood ash, waste glass, and crushed shells in Netherlands These elements are not selected for their utility, but for their histories; for what they have witnessed, endured, and carried into the present context. They are embedded in a specific moment in time: a commons of transformation shaped by decay, touch, and temporality.

The slumped forms hold these materials in moments of transition. The first glass piece speaks to the untouched, the raw qualities in which the materials are found. The second brings them together after being crushed and reconstituted, fused into one. They are like poems in solid form: material held within glass, consciously composed, quietly resonant.

Though captured in form, the momentum of the materials remains in flux, alive, deserving of attention and care.

These works reflect the matter between us: the tension, the intimacy, the shared space. They speak to a sense of belonging through material – a kind of ecological intimacy.

This project is presented in two parts. The first part dives into the understanding and friction between material. The second part is the practical implementation in design using the materials to create a locally-sourced ceramic glaze as seen on the PiLA Vases.

Exhibited at London Design Festival, Material Matters at Space House with The Material Way | 17 – 20 September 2025

Photo of Exhibition by Philip Vile
Photo of process by Fan Liao