This week, Ateliers Courbet unveiled two new series of vessels by Greek American ceramicist and artist Peter Speliopoulos, Livani and Chasma. The solo exhibition, which opened on Tuesday and will run until March 15th,  will be Speliopoulos' fourth with the Chelsea gallery, and offers work that encodes a physical language in the spaces where verbosity fails— Livani and Chasma present tactile vessels that articulate that muted, yawning chasm between ancient history and the present; that strange friction between the Earth and the beings that create from it.

Crafted in the artist's studio in upstate New York, The Livani series is inspired by the textures and colors of incense, utilizing ancient wood-firing methods in a Japanese Noborigama kiln. This intense process, requiring continuous wood stoking over two days and a five-day cooling period, creates surfaces with striking metallic sheens and organic patterns, celebrating the unpredictable beauty of fire and clay.

The Chasma series, named after the Greek word for "chasm," delves into themes of mythology, spirituality, and transformation. Drawing from Speliopoulos' cultural heritage, these sculptural vessels evoke ancient Greek caves believed to connect physical and spiritual realms. Crafted from black stoneware, the pieces are adorned with intricate hand-built details and rest on specially designed bases that elevate them, symbolizing their role as conduits between worlds. The series continues Speliopoulos' exploration of life's cyclical nature and the interplay between the tangible and the metaphysical.

Peter Speliopoulos has a distinguished background in high fashion and design, having contributed to the collections of renowned brands and the creative works of leading choreographers. Now focusing on ceramics, his work reflects a deep connection to organic materials and timeless traditions—Livani and Chasma follow other exhibitions: Archaeos, Chthonic,and Miteria, all of which reflect the artist's ongoing fascination with mythology, divinity, and the ancient Greek modalities of spiritualism. Presented by Ateliers Courbet, a gallery dedicated to preserving masterful craftsmanship from around the world, this exhibition solidifies Speliopoulos' role as a modern translator, one that reaches through space, time, and story and speaks with the perceptive language of ancient craftsmanship.