Philia
Magazine
Kazuya Ishida
Kazuya Ishida is a Japanese ceramic artist based in Bizen, one of Japan’s six ancient kiln sites, known for its traditional unglazed stoneware. Born into a family of potters, he trained at the Bizen Ceramics Center and Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics Technical Institute before completing an apprenticeship under Jun Isezaki.
Following several years in the UK, where he expanded his approach to ceramic practice, Ishida established his independent studio in Bizen in 2013. His work is distinguished by dynamic, spiraling surface marks—an expressive language rooted in rhythm and movement, influenced by his early interest in breakdancing.
Working with natural clay and ash glazes in dialogue with Bizen tradition, Ishida develops contemporary forms that evoke elemental landscapes—eroded rock, shifting tides, and geological textures. Bridging heritage and experimentation, his practice reflects a deeply physical engagement with material, where process, fire, and movement shape each piece into a singular, tactile expression.
Mademoiselle Jo Picks From Philia Collection
Mademoiselle Jo is a Belgian design studio founded by Joan Bebronne, whose practice explores the intersection of object design, craftsmanship, and architecture. After training as a fashion designer at La Cambre and spending over twenty-five years developing trends, colours, and textiles for the lingerie industry, Bebronne turned to furniture and collectible objects, bringing the same sensitivity to material, form, and detail. Guided by intuition and a commitment to local craftsmanship, Mademoiselle Jo creates timeless pieces that balance sculptural elegance with everyday function, celebrating thoughtful making, enduring quality, and designs made to be passed on.
Olga Treivas
Olga Treivas is a Moscow-born architect and designer based in São Paulo, Brazil, where she leads the multidisciplinary practice Treivas. Working across architecture, exhibition design, and collectible design, her practice explores the dialogue between cultural narratives, material experimentation, and contemporary craftsmanship. Alongside her architectural work, she investigates the expressive potential of crystal glass, reinterpreting traditional techniques through a contemporary lens while exploring the material’s rich history, plasticity, and inherent tension between strength and fragility.
Treivas has developed a distinguished portfolio of museum, exhibition, and cultural projects, including retrospectives for Marina Abramović and John Baldessari, as well as the design of public cultural spaces. Her experience also includes collaborating with OMA on the renovation of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, reflecting a practice that moves fluidly between architecture, scenography, and collectible design.
Julie Nelson 5 Picks From Philia Collection
Julie Nelson is a British ceramic artist whose practice explores the natural world through the expressive materiality of clay. Drawing inspiration from biology, botany, and landscape, she creates sculptural collections that investigate the patterns, rhythms, and subtle irregularities found in nature. Working in series, Nelson presents groups of objects that contrast and complement one another, revealing the interconnected relationships that exist within natural systems.
Rooted in an exploration of elemental forms, her work reflects themes of pattern, entropy, and transformation while celebrating the quiet complexity of the environment. Alongside her sculptural collections, projects such as Flock extend her practice into participatory installations, examining ideas of migration, identity, and collective experience through the gathering of individual forms.
Atelier George Picks From Philia Collection
Atelier George is a design studio and glassmaking atelier founded by Eve and Laurent George. Working collaboratively from sketch to production, the duo creates unique hand-blown glass objects distinguished by their sculptural forms, refined balance, and artisanal character. Rooted in a continuous dialogue between design and craftsmanship, their work reflects a shared pursuit of harmony, material expression, and timeless form.
