Jakub’s body of work is a remarkable blend of organic forms, intuitive creation and deep connection to the natural world. In his ceramics, he blends the raw beauty of nature with the meticulous craft of clay modeling.
When I first discovered Jakub Biewald’s work at Dharamkot Studio, I was immediately drawn to his distinct artistic style. At the entrance of the Studio, his work catches your attention, standing out from the array of ceramic art pieces on the shelf. A diver, a lover of natural forms and a sculptor at heart—Jakub’s work is imbued with the raw beauty of life.
His deep love for the organic world is expressed in the clay he shapes with his hands.
One of Jakub’s notable series of works is The Underwater —a collection that draws directly from his love of diving and the intricate life forms found beneath the surface. These pieces, created in the early 2010s, are striking in their fluidity and complexity. The sculptures appear to be caught in motion, as if they’re suspended in a current, twisting and spiraling in organic, anemone-like forms. The inspiration for these pieces came from Jakub’s time spent in the water, witnessing the delicate ecosystems of coral reefs, where life flourishes in a dance of intricate, fragile beauty. His ceramics emulate the living quality of the ocean’s creatures, transforming them into tactile forms that invite the viewer to imagine what lies hidden beneath the sea.
Jakub’s ceramics have an unmistakable fluidity, reminiscent of the underwater worlds that so fascinate him. His forms often resemble organic creatures, alive with motion and unmissable detail. There’s a sense that these pieces, while frozen in time, are filled with potential energy—like sea creatures suspended mid-movement or coral reefs shifting with the current.
Shapes emerge from the clay like biological entities, their textures both foreign and familiar, evoking deep curiosity. They feel at once like forms we’ve never seen but also like fragments of nature we may have encountered on a forgotten shore. The surfaces of his work are alive with patterns that seem to echo the living, breathing world—soft folds, creases, and layers that carry the memory of movement, of life beneath the surface.
Yet, ceramics are only part of Jakub’s creative universe. As we explore his body of work, we see how it flows seamlessly into other mediums, broadening our understanding of his vision. While clay remains the backbone of his practice, it’s through his photography and drawings that we come to understand the full depth of his inspiration. These mediums reveal the very process of thought behind his sculptures. His sketches often feel like quick notes, flashes of form and texture that inform his sculptures, like a visual journal of his creative journey. The photographs, on the other hand, capture the worlds Jakub is most drawn to—the places where the human hand meets nature, where organic forms collide with the structure of man-made environments.
But it’s in his approach to these various forms that Jakub’s true art lies. It’s not just about the medium he chooses, but the way in which each piece, whether ceramic, photograph, or drawing, speaks to the same core idea. It’s a world that is constantly in flux, where everything is connected in ways we may not always notice. The lines between mediums blur, and in that space, Jakub’s exploration of the natural world becomes fully realized.
It’s this dynamic tension—between reverence for the natural world and the drive to understand and reshape it—that defines his art.
In Conversation with Jakub Biewald:
It is in the quiet dialogue between hands and clay where Jakub Biewald finds his truest expression. A sculptor whose forms seem to breathe with life, Jakub’s journey is woven with serendipity, curiosity, and a profound connection to nature and emotion.
Could you share how your journey with ceramics began?
It was a coincidence, Jakub reflects. Initially, I wanted to study painting, but I ended up in archaeology. Just next door was the sculpture department, and I found myself intrigued by the possibilities of creating in three dimensions. Among the specializations there was artistic ceramics, and that’s when I discovered—this is it!
What began as an unexpected detour soon became a calling. Eventually, I realized I am more like a sculptor working with clay than a potter. But after spending years immersed in ceramics, I’ve grown comfortable with both realms.
How do you choose the pieces you want to create?
I would say rather they choose me somehow, he muses. Of course, some ideas are filtered through practical considerations like time, space, or the dimensions of a kiln. But there’s an organic pull, a quiet insistence from certain forms waiting to be shaped.
What materials do you love working with?
Different types of clay speak to me, but chamotte clay suits most of my ideas. Beyond that, I find beauty in wood and stone. Regardless of the medium, I always try to sculpt with feelings and emotions, letting the material guide the process.
What’s your favorite part of making ceramic sculptures?
Definitely creation—the act of building forms, watching them grow, listening to the clay, and following where it leads. But firing holds its own magic too. It’s thrilling, sometimes surprising, and teaches me to stay open to the unexpected.
How does Polish culture influence your art?
In some way, for sure—there’s no escaping the world we live in. Polish culture seeps in through traditional pre-Christian beliefs, the expansive landscapes of Polish fields, the dramatic history of the country, and poems filled with nostalgia. But I strive to create universal art—something that can be felt and understood by anyone, anywhere in the world.
Jakub’s work transcends the tangible. His sculptures are not merely objects; they are silent poems, shaped by intuition and emotion, grounded in tradition yet untethered by it. They invite us not just to look, but to feel, to listen to the quiet language of form and space.