Metamorphism at Le Cavallerizze, Milan, 7-13 April 2025
Metamorphism
Ceramic Experimentations by Julie & Jesse
Curated by Annalisa Rosso
Produced by 5VIE
Ceramics are among the most ancient and universal expressions of human creativity, an elemental gesture of transformation—earth, water, fire—resulting in a material that is both resilient and fragile. In their body of work, presented in part in a pyramidal display that recalls both archetypal ritual architectures and contemporary modular structures, Julie & Jesse explore the boundaries of this material, stretching its possibilities and working in a state of constant equilibrium.
Based in Hong Kong, the duo operates within a unique crossroads of influences, balancing Eastern and Western traditions while merging heritage with contemporary languages. Their experimental approach resists categorization, stretching across the fields of design, craft, and art, moving seamlessly between functional objects and pure artistic expression. Their backgrounds reflect this intersection: Swiss designer Julie Progin and American artist Jesse Mc Lin bring distinct perspectives that converge in a shared language of forms. A new universal language, emerging from an ancient alphabet that everybody knows by heart.
This interplay of contrasts emerges in every gesture. Porcelain, a material known for its unforgiving nature—demanding precision, allowing little room for error—is approached with a sense of discovery, pushing the limits of balance and structure. It is precisely this continuous redefinition of equilibrium that makes their pieces feel both familiar, rooted in an ancestral knowledge, and entirely unexpected. They are objects never seen before, not only in their aesthetic qualities but also in their technical achievements, which extend beyond conventional limits of ceramic production. An intrinsic tension, as if caught between stillness and motion, echoing broader questions of shifting identities.
The pyramidal structure conceived for the exhibition at Le Cavallerizze is not a neutral display. It reinforces this sense of layered meaning. An architecture of ascent, a movement from foundation to peak, but also an invitation to deconstruct hierarchies of perception. More than a singular narrative, it offers a constellation of possibilities, much like the hybrid nature of their practice itself—moving between continuity and reinvention.
Curator
Annalisa Rosso
Producers
5VIE, Ernesta Del Cogliano and Emanuele Tessarolo
Opening
7-13 April 2025 | 10:00-19:30
9 April 2025 | 10:00-22:00
Location
Le Cavallerizze, 5VIE district
Via Olona 4, Milan
