Luke Shalan

Luke Shalan is a ceramic artist currently working in Los Angeles, CA. He developed the unique process of slab-dropping, which has led to his primary body of work. His works capture a moment of physical reaction in the permanence of a ceramic object.

Growing up in rural MA, surrounded by nature and its curiosities, inspires much of his artistic practice, specifically his desire to explore physical transformation, limited waste and the natural forces that shape our world. He seeks to uncover the nuances found in mundane processes, and continually reminds himself (and others) that we are physical beings living in reactive, unpredictable space. Luke enjoys pushing the limits of clay by using unconventional techniques, while continuing to master and utilize traditional forms of ceramic production.

Slab-dropping, Luke’s method of suspending a thin slab of clay in the air and then releasing it over an object below, captures a moment of physical reaction in the permanence of a ceramic object.