Culture of ceramic

Gulf Weekly

13-03-2025

Bahraini artist Nermin Habib is putting the kingdom's heritage on the global stage with her latest sculpture Flow, set to be exhibited at the internationally renowned Milan Design Week.
The model, made of clay hand-sculpted by Nermin and fired in the kilns of the kingdom, also features palm frond ropes weaved by Bahraini Hassan Al Shajjar.
It will be showcased at the ninth edition of Isola Design Festival, to be held in Milan from April 7 to 13, alongside pieces by more than 50 international artists.
'The design process for Flow began with an exploration of movement and the idea of transitions—the spaces in-between where different elements meet and transform,' Nermin, 44, told GulfWeekly.
'I was captivated by the fluidity of waves and the rhythmic patterns of wind shaping landscapes, which felt like a powerful metaphor for my own journey between cultures, techniques, and ideas.
'Initially, I envisioned a form that could capture this sense of motion in a static medium like clay. As I started hand-building, the curves and contours naturally evolved to reflect the seamless flow of water and air. The raw, unglazed stoneware was a deliberate choice to preserve the tactile connection to earth, enhancing the sculpture's organic feel.
'Incorporating palm fibres spun in burlap was a turning point. This element not only highlighted Bahrain's weaving traditions but also bridged the tactile warmth of craft with the cool elegance of contemporary design.
'The process was very intuitive—allowing the materials and textures to guide the evolution of the piece. In the end, Flow became a dialogue between tradition and innovation, capturing the essence of movement and the beauty of crossing boundaries.'
The piece came to life during Nermin's ongoing residency at the Art Station in Muharraq, a non-profit creative space under the umbrella of the Rashid Al Khalifa Art Foundation.
Since she became a full-time artist just a couple of years ago, much of Nermin's work has been imbued with intricate and structured geometry, but with this one, she went with a more fluid and abstract form.
She draped the original flattened piece of clay and let gravity and tension shape the piece while she worked on it, coming up with a model that 'feels both spontaneous and intentional'.
'The project unfolded over several months, with each phase demanding a different pace and focus,' the artist of Egyptian origin explained.
'The initial concept and sketches took about two weeks, where I explored various forms to capture the essence of movement. The hand-building phase was the most time-intensive, spanning around six weeks, as I shaped and refined the curves, allowing the piece to evolve organically.
'After drying, the firing process required careful timing to preserve the raw, unglazed finish. Incorporating the palm fibres and final touches took an additional two weeks, making the entire process about 10 weeks from concept to completion.
'This extended timeline allowed me to stay true to the material's natural rhythm, ensuring that every curve and texture told the story I intended.'
A self-identified 'cultural nomad', Nermin grew up in Bahrain before completing her undergraduate studies at the American University of Cairo in Egypt, and her Masters in Fine Arts at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
After a corporate stint in advertising and technology, she returned to her artistic roots in 2023.
With Flow set to be exhibited next month, Nermin is already hard at work on a series of new projects exploring the potential of local Bahraini clay, where instead of traditional glazes, she plans to incorporate glass, creating a dialogue between rawness and translucence.