Or Shlomo Dahan is a self-taught ceramic artist based in Jaffa whose practice explores the human journey through the material language of clay. Working exclusively by hand and rejecting the potter’s wheel, Dahan uses slab construction to create singular sculptural vessels that move between the archaic and the contemporary, the ritualistic and the architectural.
His slow and deliberate process reflects an interest in transformation, resilience, and the passage of time. Each work begins with raw clay that is pressed, folded, carved, torn, and reassembled. Seams, cracks, irregularities, and traces of the artist’s hand remain visible, becoming integral elements of the work rather than imperfections to be concealed.
Drawing inspiration from desert landscapes, global visual cultures, organic processes, and the material intelligence of clay, Dahan creates objects that function as tactile maps of personal and collective experience. Their textured surfaces and asymmetrical forms hold a tension between fragility and strength, emptiness and wholeness, grounding and movement.
Through the mentoring process, Serge Tiroche Contemporary has supported Dahan in refining and contextualizing his practice, while developing the framework through which his work is introduced to wider audiences. His work was presented publicly for the first time by the gallery at Fresh Paint Art Fair, where it formed part of the exhibition Mid-Century Art & Design.
Presented alongside historical Israeli painting and collectible design, Dahan’s ceramics created a dialogue between past and present, art and design, and local and international visual traditions. The presentation marked an important step in the development of his practice and reflected the mentoring program’s commitment to cultivating distinctive artistic voices and creating meaningful opportunities for their public exposure.
