Table. Salt

Niv Yashar

Mentor: Nati Shamia

Through an ongoing creative process spanning the studio, the kitchen, and the dining table, the project proposes an experiential approach to dining, centered around crafting an object and composing an “architecture of a bite.”

The meal is shaped through an integrated process: forming the dinnerware, compressing the salt, aging the food, and designing its presentation. Unlike the pile of dirty dishes at the end of the meal, this stacked arrangement suggests a different ritual of “setting the table.”

The project’s two key materials are salt and clay. The salt – a fragile mineral affected by its environment and central to food preservation – crystallizes under pressure. Its delicacy calls for a counterbalance. The timeless and enduring clay is used in this project to contain the salt, forming a mold for its transformation.

The stack comprises heavy, wheel-thrown ceramicware that applies pressure and creates ideal conditions for aging food. Each layer is handcrafted with precision, designed for a distinct and shifting function.