I have had enough of this vase, please…
Let me out
a rebellious bird escaping the confines of Delft Blue
Client
Royal Delft
Design
Frank Tjepkema, Tomas Schon
Production
Royal Delft
Collection
Augmented Blueware
Materials:
Hand-painted earthenware with traditional Delft Blue (cobalt oxide) glazing.
Size
Variable (classic vase form, approx. 30-40 cm height).
Date
2018
Let Me Out—a provocative limited-edition vase born from Tjep.'s collaboration with Royal Delft (De Porceleyne Fles), the legendary guardian of 17th-century Dutch ceramic heritage. Designed by Frank Tjepkema in 2018, this hand-painted masterpiece playfully subverts the serene, orderly world of traditional Delft Blue pottery, transforming a classic vase into a dramatic scene of liberation and chaos.
A Bird's Desperate Escape
At first glance, Let Me Out appears as an exuberant celebration of Delft Blue ornamentation: an explosive cascade of iconic motifs—flourishes, flowers, windmills, and intricate patterns—densely layered across the vase's surface in signature cobalt blue on white. Yet at the heart of this decorative frenzy emerges the protagonist: a defiant bird, wings spread wide, beak open in a silent cry, frantically pushing through the shattered fragments of tradition as if bursting out from the ceramic itself. The vase titled "Please Let Me Out" captures the tension between centuries-old restraint and the urge for contemporary freedom, with cracked and exploding elements symbolizing the bird's rebellion against the rigid beauty of historical Delft ware.
Reinterpreting Heritage with Humor and Audacity
Rooted in Royal Delft's timeless craftsmanship, Let Me Out was unveiled in 2018 at Masterly – The Dutch in Milano during Salone del Mobile, alongside other Tjep. creations. Frank Tjepkema, known for injecting wit and critique into design, here fuses respect for tradition with a cheeky narrative: the bird embodies the creative spirit straining against convention, turning a static object into a story of emergence and vitality. Hand-painted by Royal Delft's master artisans, every detail—from the overflowing patterns to the dynamic "escape"—highlights the tension between preservation and innovation.
Part of Augmented Blueware Innovation
Let Me Out served as the flagship piece for the groundbreaking Augmented Blueware project, a collaboration between Royal Delft, FLEX/design, Tjep., and augmented reality specialists TWNKLS. Using AR technology, owners could scan their unique vase to generate matching tableware with identical exploded decoration—bridging physical craftsmanship with digital personalization.
From Tjep.'s visionary Amsterdam studio, Let Me Out challenges collectors to embrace heritage with a twist of rebellion—a Delft Blue icon that refuses to stay contained.