Hand-Thrown Ceramic Vase — Marrakech, multicolo

Hand-Thrown in Marrakech by Mohamed Ourika

Mohamed Ourika throws these vases on the wheel in his Marrakech workshop, shaping the narrow neck and curved body by hand before applying a single deep glaze — black or terracotta red — that lets the form speak without decoration. The silhouette is classic Moroccan: a wide base that curves inward at the waist, rises to a narrow neck, and flares slightly at the mouth. A form that has been thrown in Moroccan workshops for generations, reduced here to its essential geometry.

Placed with dried pampas grass or left empty on a shelf, these vases hold their presence without competing. The black reads architectural. The red reads warm. Both are the same object — the same hand, the same wheel, the same workshop — in two different registers.

Materials & Technique

Mohamed throws each vase on the wheel, which is why the walls carry a slight variation in profile that a cast or molded vase never has. The single glaze fires to a smooth, deep finish that catches light differently depending on the curve. Each piece is unique to the session at the wheel.

Care Instructions

• Wipe clean with a soft, damp cloth
• Not watertight — best suited for dried arrangements or as a sculptural object
• Avoid prolonged exposure to moisture
• Handle with care around the narrow neck