Edmund de Waal wants us to slow down and look closely. A world-famous ceramicist (and author), he makes vessels of porcelain and then arranges them in minimalist frameworks of steel, gold, and glass—structures that read like strange windows to the soul. In “Elective Affinities,” de Waal brings his artistry to the Frick, creating pieces that speak to its permanent collection. “Amid the enchantment,” he reiterates, “is the attempt to slow things down.” —E.C.