- Art & Design
Some objects do not command attention through their scale or colour, but through their character. The work of Ayala Braidman, the artist behind Lava Earth Objects, belongs to that category. From her studio in Porto, she creates sculptural pieces with a playful touch. Her practice emerges from a fascination with texture, form and atmosphere, where the physical properties of materials play as important a role as the emotional experience they evoke. The objects appear serene and layered, as though they carry traces of a landscape, a memory or a long process of transformation.
With Lava Earth Objects, Braidman has developed a practice deeply rooted in material exploration. Clay and papier-mâché form her primary media. Working closely with interior designers and architects, she often creates bespoke pieces that respond to a specific space. This contextual approach ensures that each work establishes its own relationship with its surroundings. Her sculptures enter into dialogue with architecture, balancing between functional design and autonomous art.
Braidman draws inspiration from personal experiences in desert landscapes. The vastness, silence and physical intensity of these environments form a recurring point of departure. Yet her sculptures are not literal translations of places or landscapes. Instead, they stem from the impressions such settings leave behind: the way time becomes tangible, how surfaces are altered by wind and erosion, and how emptiness can acquire a remarkable presence. The desert functions as a mental space where external and internal experiences converge. 
Braidman draws inspiration from personal experiences in desert landscapes
This is reflected in an intuitive design process in which the material itself plays an active role. Surfaces are built up, broken down and layered again. Structures emerge gradually, guided by touch, weight and reaction. Every indentation, irregularity and texture contributes to the final appearance. As a result, the sculptures feel both robust and fragile, with a strong emphasis on tactility and presence. 
The work of Lava Earth Objects encourages a slower way of looking. The sculptures reveal themselves gradually and invite attention to detail. Their strength lies not in explicit narratives, but in atmosphere and association. By carefully weaving together form, texture and space, Ayala Braidman creates objects that radiate a quiet intensity. From Porto, she continues to build a body of work in which craftsmanship, intuition and a deep sensitivity to material result in pieces that are both contemplative and strikingly physical in their presence. 
© Lava Earth Objects
Portrait by Cintia Pham
Text by Carolien Depamelaere