Djan Mulderij

Communication

Title: In Dialogue With this work, I explore how people attempt to communicate with one another. The four figures I created do not represent specific individuals, but rather recognizable human postures. They embody moments of searching, hesitation, approaching, and sometimes withdrawing. I chose to combine porcelain and brown throwing clay because, for me, these materials reflect different aspects of communication. Porcelain represents vulnerability and openness — it is light, refined, and fragile. The brown clay feels more grounded and solid, as if it offers stability. By bringing these materials together, I aim to show that communication can be both delicate and strong at the same time. I deliberately added touches of red glaze as an accent. To me, the red refers to emotion — to what exists beneath the surface when people engage in conversation. I left parts of the rough modeling clay visible because communication is rarely smooth or perfect. There is always something unfinished, something that creates friction. What is important to me about this work is that the figures can be positioned differently in relation to one another. By changing their direction and distance, the narrative shifts as well. Sometimes they seem close to touching; at other times, space or tension emerges between them. In this way, each arrangement becomes a new attempt at dialogue. With these four objects, I try to make visible what often remains unseen: the subtle movements, tension, and vulnerability that are part of human connection.