By combining porcelain and concrete, this artistic duo achieves a harmony of opposites that is as symbolic as it is subtle. Reflecting nature in constant evolution, it resonates with the human soul.
Sharing the same outlook on the world and seeking the ideal and freedom of thought that have nourished their artistic practices, Yulia Batyrova and Marat Mukhametov decided to join forces in 2020 to further their aesthetic research. They came together around ceramics, experimenting with various clays and glazes before falling in love with porcelain, the starting point for their first works of art. "Its silky surface, translucency, and fragile delicacy were everything we were looking for, " they explain. Their partnership took on a new dimension in 2021 with their discovery of the forest, the only space of freedom in a confined world. A sensual and almost mystical experience, bringing the scale of time down to that of a blade of grass growing and making us aware of our own vulnerability, this immersion was felt by the duo as a form of inner liberation, which they now seek to transcribe: "We experienced the joy of dissolving into nature, which we strive to understand intuitively, through our imagination and our art." Rather than representing it for its own sake, they seek to evoke what it embodies and illustrate the emotions it provokes, like so many elusive movements frozen in their sculptures: "Nature only shines through movement, air, and light on the verge of fading away. Not an object, but a trace of presence, of something that barely existed, and of which only an echo remains."
Textured in a thousand and one ways to take on an organic appearance, adopting irregular abstract forms that seem animated by a life of their own, porcelain lends itself admirably to this subtle play of reminiscences. Seeming to float weightlessly, the airy form balances on a concrete surface with which it contrasts and interacts. This base is an integral part of the sculpture. It contributes to the impression of mutation emanating from the work: fragile and evanescent, the porcelain seems to be born and grow spontaneously like a plant, from the metaphorical anchorage of the concrete. The arrival of Russian artists in France, where they chose to settle in the countryside, not far from the forests that inspired them, coincided with a new burst of creativity. They incorporated new materials into their works, notably using textiles to give the porcelain a frosted appearance.
In early 2025, they continued their experiments thanks to their artistic residency at the Office Culturel de Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie in the Gard region, which welcomes ceramists from around the world to encourage innovation and contemporary creation. Seeking "a more 'pictorial' effect and richer hues" than those obtained by incorporating pigments into the clay—which the artists found too bland and unsuitable—they found a way to make the porcelain more absorbent to achieve their goal. With promising results, color is set to play a more important role in their future creations. In the same context, they had ample opportunity to explore the potential of silicone, which "brings new vitality and enhances the impression of fragility" of their moving works, which unfold without constraints. By allowing the material to express itself, the duo continues its quest for harmony, the guiding principle of their art at the crossroads of ceramics and sculpture. After exhibiting their latest works created during their residency at the40th edition of Terralha—the European summer ceramics festival in Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie—Yulia Batyrova and Marat Mukhametov are preparing for other international exhibitions, notably with the support of the Mia Karlova gallery.
Represented by Mia Karlova Gallery
The Mia Karlova Gallery will exhibit works by Yulia Batyrova and Marat Mukhametov at its booth during the following art fairs:
PAN Amsterdam
Amsterdam RAI
Hall 8, Europaplein, Amsterdam (Netherlands)
November 2–9, 2025
Works by Yulia Batyrova and Marat Mukhametov are also featured in the following exhibitions:
63rd Faenza Prize
MIC Faenza, Viale A. Baccarini, 19, Faenza (Italy)
Until November 30, 2025
17th Aveiro International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics
Aveiro Museum / Santa Joana
Avenida de Santa Joana, Aveiro (Portugal)
From October 18, 2025, to January 18, 2026
Never gonna snow again
Fungus Lunae
All that's left of color
