NOWHERE / NOW HERE
NOWHERE / NOW HERE
Halfstudio
2025
NOWHERE / NOW HERE plays with perception. It’s a single word, but depending on how you look at it, it splits in two: nowhere or now here. That shift is the point. The space between feeling lost and being present is often just a change of perspective. This piece reflects that tension, the contradiction, the closeness of absence and arrival. It doesn’t give answers, but it holds the moment where meaning can flip.
Screen Printing on Ceramic / 4 colors
150 x 200 x 6 mm / 5.90 x 7.87 x 0.24 in (approx.)
Limited Edition of 26
Signed and Numbered
Material: White earthenware
Coating: Ceramic inks (4 colors)
Finish: Transparent glaze
As this is a handmade ceramic and screen print edition, slight variations may occur — please read the information below for details and care instruction.
Portuguese visual artists Mariana Branco and Emanuel Barreira form the duo Halfstudio. Their shared practice is grounded in sign painting and lettering, and their work explores language, place, and the expressive potential of visual form in contemporary contexts. Their visual language is defined by three-dimensional letters and dynamic layouts, with bold messages and vibrant colors. Their work is shaped by their surroundings and the social and cultural issues they find meaningful, using art as a medium to reflect on the world and invite conversation. For Mariana and Emanuel, creating art is both a form of expression and a personal process of reflection. Public artworks are particularly important to them, enabling their ideas to reach broader audiences and spark dialogue around questions relevant to contemporary life. Combining studio work and public art, their approach reflects current themes while demonstrating a thoughtful engagement with the communities they work in. The duo has exhibited their work in galleries and participated in street art festivals in Portugal and internationally.
NOWHERE / NOW HERE
SCREEN PRINTING MEETS CERAMICS
SCREEN PRINTED WITH CERAMIC INKS
Find out more about the production of this edition
WITH PORTUGUESE WHITE EARTHENWARE
FROM PLASTIC TO GLAZEWARE
Each tile is made one by one, with the slab technique, which involves rolling out the clay into flat pieces, using a slab roller.
Throughout the entire process, theres a lot of testing, cutting, waiting, handling, pressing, shelving and frequent follow-up, all of which require great care and patience.
Before printing with ceramic inks, each tile undergoes a bisque firing.
AFTER THE FIRST FIRING
BISQUE STAGE
In this edition, after the bisque firing, the tiles are printed with ceramic inks (one color at a time) and then glazed. Or the other way around.
With screen printing it's possible to print directly onto the clay, at various stages, using different types of coatings, resulting in diverse aesthetics.
In this collection, we use more than one process.
MELTING THE GLAZE ONTO THE BISQUEWARE
FIRING OVER 1000°C
Besides the use of ceramic inks on this edition, every piece is finished with transparant glaze.
Before it's finished, each tile goes through two firings - bisque and glaze - at around 1000°C(1832°F). From closing to opening the kiln, each firing can last more than 24 hours.
ADD DISPLAY TO CART
4 WAYS TO DISPLAY YOUR TILE
Minimal or classical, our versatile tile stands and hangers let you display your tiles on tables or walls. They adapt to your preferred setup and offer a practical way to showcase your ceramic pieces.
ADD DISPLAY TO CART
4 WAYS TO DISPLAY YOUR TILE
Minimal or classical, our versatile tile stands and hangers let you display your tiles on tables or walls. They adapt to your preferred setup and offer a practical way to showcase your ceramic pieces.
Classic metallic wall display with adjustable spring and transparent retractable sleeve to protect tile edges.
Made in Portugal.
