Erum Aamir

Erum entered ceramics through an unconventional path, beginning her professional life as a physicist before transitioning into a creative practice. While she later received formal ceramic training, much of her development has been self-directed, allowing her to integrate scientific observation with material exploration. She was first drawn to clay for its immediacy and tactile responsiveness. After years of working within scientific structures, she found in clay—particularly porcelain—a medium that encouraged intuition, sensitivity, and transformation. Its purity and translucency offered a way to explore the delicate internal architectures of nature.

Aamir’s primary inspiration comes from microscopic studies of plants. Her research at the Manchester Museum Herbarium, where she examines historical botanical slides, reveals hidden cellular patterns and intricate formations that feel both scientific and fantastical. These observations ignite her imagination and highlight nature’s beauty beyond the visible scale.

She works exclusively by hand with porcelain, keeping the material extremely thin to evoke fragility and movement. Avoiding predetermined designs, she allows each form to evolve through a slow, meditative process. Repetition of gestures, components, and structures, mirrors natural growth patterns and creates a rhythmic, intentional way of working that shapes the character of her sculptural pieces.