Visual artist Andreea Braescu works with porcelain to create bespoke light sculptures that bring the fragility of the natural world indoors
Tell me about your journey to becoming a lighting. Art has always been a part of my world – it’s in my DNA. I grew up surrounded by creativity: my grandparents were painters, my mother is a sculptor and my father is a designer. I studied at the National University of Art in Bucharest, where I deepened my connection with form, space, and expression. Over the years, I began to gravitate toward light as a medium for emotion. It wasn’t a conscious decision at first, it felt more like a calling. Porcelain, with its ethereal translucency, became the perfect partner in this journey. My goal has always been to recreate the spirit and harmony of nature within interior spaces and light was the most natural way to do that.
What is the appeal of working with porcelain? Porcelain is delicate yet resilient. I work with fine bone china, which is incredibly translucent, it captures and diffuses light in a way that feels almost magical. But it is also one of the most temperamental materials, which makes it both challenging and deeply rewarding. Each leaf or petal is handmade and no two are ever the same. There’s a harmony in this imperfection that mimics nature beautifully. It requires patience and humility – qualities that shape both the artist and the art.
Do you consider your installations to be lights or sculpture? They are both, and more. I see them as light sculptures: objects that live at the intersection of art, design and nature. They carry functional light but are primarily emotional in purpose. I aim to evoke joy, calm, and wonder—feelings that art can stir and light can amplify. Each piece is designed to be not only seen but also felt.
What is the most complicated installation you have undertaken? One of the most technically and emotionally demanding projects was a large-scale public installation in New York. It featured 155 individually crafted porcelain leaves, including ones covered in 24K gold. The precision required in engineering, combined with the fragility of the material, made it a true challenge. But it was also one of the most fulfilling experiences, to see my vision brought to life on such a scale and to know it could touch the daily lives of so many people .
Do you make all your pieces by hand? Yes, absolutely. While we use modern tools in parts of the process and I work with a brilliant team of designers and engineers, the heart of every piece is handmade. That’s essential to my philosophy. Nature thrives in irregularity and to recreate that spirit, we must embrace the unique marks of the hand. Uniformity feels sterile to me; I want every sculpture to feel alive, like it has grown organically within its space.
What are you working on at the moment? Right now, I’m exploring a new series inspired by the subtle movements of water, how it flows, reflects and distorts light. There’s a kind of softness and rhythm to it that I find captivating. I’m experimenting with different forms that can translate this fluidity into porcelain, while maintaining the emotional resonance that defines all my work.
What is your favourite possession? That’s a hard one! I think my favourite possession isn’t a thing, it’s my studio. It’s where I feel most at home, where ideas take shape, where mistakes become teachers. It’s not just a physical space but a spiritual one. If I had to name a physical object, perhaps a sketchbook that’s been with me since the early days – filled with dreams, failures, sparks of inspiration. It reminds me of how far I’ve come and how much further there is to go
See more of Andreea Braescu’s work and if you enjoyed this interview you might also like my chat with Cox London
