Kirsten Christensen - Exhibition August 2011

Kirsten Christensen
Exhibition 4 – 27 August 2011
See the new work by an unusual Danish artist, who likes to tell truth and grabs life from the inside...
"As an artist you have to get into a space, that you don't know what it looks like. You have to find courage to jump. You live your life in a minefield. The condition for creation is using this courage to describe something not yet seen..."

Kirsten Christensen:
"About creation crisis and the sudden conquering of it...
The paradox feeling of real freedom – made the jump back to the cage full of lust; but this time when freedom was real, it was worth all of it.
The studio changed from a burden to fulfil all conditions for creation.

Exhibition of large Italian oil-pastel drawings with ceramic object applied and framed. Small flat houses with photos of the studio, women and animals, and finally a sitting skeleton. Death at last for all of us – important is a life before death."
http://www.kirstenchristensen.dk/
Kirsten Christensen has made large-scale commission works for the Hjortespring Library (1982), the Aalborg Train Station (1988) and the Køge Badeland (1992).
In 1978 she became a member of the Danish art association 'Kammeraterne', 1986 'Den Frie Udstilling'. In 1991 she received the Danish National Arts Foundation lifelong award.

Wild & Vigorous - Exhibition July 2011

Wild & vigorous
Marianne Nielsen & Marianne Krumbach DK
Exhibition June 30 - July 30 2011

In July, the gallery shows a 'wild and vigorous' Summer exhibition of new work by the emerging Danish artists Marianne Nielsen and Marianne Krumbach.

Marianne Krumbach and Marianne Nielsen are studio mates in a constant dialogue. In spite of differences in their clay practice, they have a thematic connection – a circling around cultural objects and a 'cultivation of nature' as a starting point of their figures, forms and decoration.
LINK - Marianne Nielsen - Marianne Krumbach

Marianne Nielsen
I have modelled leaves, placed on the wall in a grid they function as a kind of 'species board' – a catalogue of pattern and form/design possibilities. This way the leaf is used more or less figurative between classic nature representation and pure form, - between plate and image. (Artist photo of sketches)
The transition from nature object to our thing-ly world interests me, when form becomes shaping and colour becomes decoration. In this project it has been interesting for me to see, how one subject can spread out and hold many different meanings.

Marianne Krumbach
I have set a scene in ceramics. A rabbit looks at a set table. A large plate. A glass of wine, Knife, fork and spoon. All in a size that immediately points above you and me. In the middle of the table is a lit candle. At the tabletop the rabbits. Observing. Waiting.
A story. A tale that is open for the viewer to enter.

They both graduated from the Danish Design School – Kolding, and for the last three years they have shared a studio in Copenhagen.

Weight - Exhibition June 2011

Weight
Elisa Helland-Hansen - Norway
- www.elisa-hh.no
Exhibition 2 - 25 June 2011

At this exhibition Elisa Helland-Hansen invites the visitors to lift up the cups – see, touch, close their eyes and sense weight and gravity.

Elisa Helland-Hansen - VEKT:
“In my kitchen live 44 different cups and beakers. They are not randomly chosen. And neither their weight, size, volume, form, surface and expression are random.

Through many years of use, I have noticed how the weight of a cup has its own value and gets importance in the sensuous experience of drinking. An oppressive day, the tea drunk from a heavy beaker may give peace in mind. Coffee in a feather light cup may comfort a fragile condition. Or I can hold a cup, that really irritates... wrong weight for the need of the moment.

This interest in the weight of the cup has resulted in a research of the limits of the cup at a given mass. What possibilities lie in a lump of clay at 222 grams? How many varied expressions can I get from the same weight?

My starting point became a series of 9 beakers with identical profile and size, but with a rise of weight from 111 grams to 999 grams.
Through the evaluation of this row of cups grew new series, where the relationship between weight volume and apportion of mass got a special attention. Further on my choice of glaze, colour and pattern became influenced by the character of the specific cup.”

Branch Stump - Exhibition May 2011

Branch Stump
Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl DK
Exhibition 5 - 28 May 2011

What can a branch stump talk about? - Why make it in ceramics? - What wondering does it start? - And when is it even a branch stump.

Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl: “The turning point of this exhibition is the branch stump. Not the actual branch, but the stump.
It is about the section, the part – which in itself holds the whole form of the tree, that it once came from. The physical presence of the tree is – in competition with the cat or dog – probably one of the visual forms, that we are first of all acquainted with in our life. An archetype. With time the root-trunk-crown-iconography change radically for most people; and for some the tree merely stays a tree. A tree is a tree – a branch is a branch. That’s it.

The direct impression of the anonymous branch stump, that the cast form in clay gives, is here set in a dialogue with various modelled variations of it. Both in the pure meeting of the form and with the surface patterns set in play.

The materials, that the objects are made from, place them solidly in a non-nature-sphere. Like the ceramic figures they depend upon, that the tactility, colour and applied ornamental actualities transform the easily recognisable into an open world of imagination.”
Photo of pieces: Ole Akhøj - Photo of exhibition: Ann Linnemann

In recent years, Martin Bodilsen Kaldahls exhibition activities have included the exhibitions at The Danish Museum of Art Craft and Design in Copenhagen: 'The digital clay', 2008 and "END" (English/Norwegian/Danish exhibition group) in 2007.

In the Woods - Exhibition April 2011

”In the Woods...”

New maiolica-pieces by the ceramic artist Peder Rasmussen

Exhibition March 31 – April 30 2011

Peder Rasmussen: "In the woods, we meet all those, who try to be in contact with the birds and maybe learn about singing or flying. We see the many different kinds of trees and also run into people, who are just absorbed in themselves and enjoy life in their shadow.

There are naturally also those, who are out on a frisky hike, and not in the least those, who might overdo it and try to become a kind of nature themselves."

Website LINK - Peder Rasmussen

The exhibition consists of various series of figures and plates, which were made during the winter 2010-11, when Peder Rasmussen experimented with the old Italian maiolica-technique, which he first encountered in 1970, when for a period of time he lived in Faenza, the home-town of faience.

Photoes of the individual pieces: Peder Rasmussen - Photoes of the exhibition: Ann Linnemann

See Video - part 1 - YOUTUBE

See Video - part 2 - YOUTUBE

In Play - Exhibition March 2011

In Play

Lis Ehrenreich & Mikael Jackson

Exhibition 3 - 26 March 2011

Two generations of ceramic artists are set 'in play' and create dialogue.

The ceramic works by Lis Ehrenreich & Mikael Jackson DK are set 'in play' to create a new dialogue.

This exhibition holds ornamental variations from the installation 'Flying Carpet', where the shadow creates an oriental carpet, to vessels containing ornaments of a Middle Eastern cultural heritage.

The viewer is given the possibility to investigate this cultural meeting between two generations of Danish artists, who are both inspired by their love for ornamental images. Lis Ehrenreich connects the structural relief-patterns with layers of glaze. In Mikael's installations the two-dimensional ornaments are transformed to three-dimensional form.

Mikael Jackson “I always sculpture my work with geometry as my starting point. For this exhibition I have chosen to let myself be inspired by traditional Islamic patterns. The objects have developed from relatively simple three-dimensional elements, which are repeated. The parts are put together in various ways ending up as unique objects.

The abstract notions, I research, contrast fragility towards strength, the industrial towards the handmade, the visually tight opposed to loose expression, and order to chaos.” Mikael graduated from the Royal College of Art in London, 2008. He has a studio in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Lis Ehrenreich “The Classical form – presently the Albarello – is my starting point. The timelessness of the form is emphasized by the structural, rustic expressions of the glaze applied to ornamental imprints in the wet clay. I find inspiration for the patterns in my surroundings: walls, books... everywhere.”

Lis Ehrenreich is educated at the Jutland Art Academy, Aarhus, DK, 1976-81. She has a studio in Aarhus, Jutland, DK.

Light & Porcelain - Exhibition February 2011

Light & Porcelain
Margaret O'Rorke UK
Exhibition 27 January – 26 February 2011

Margaret O'Rorke from England exhibits light objects in transparent porcelain.

Margaret O'Rorke www.castlight.co.uk
”The translucency of fine high-fired porcelain captures my imagination and leads me to create thrown sculptural forms that give light. Ideas stem from the nature of the material, forms that can grow from the potter's wheel, the process of firing and a sense of adventure with light and space.

For the past 30 years I have worked as a ceramic artist in my studio. Recently I have furthermore created translucent porcelain lighting designs for industrial manufacture. Working closely with porcelain as a studio potter has given me an intimate understanding of the material and enabled me to develop an exciting approach to the concept of designing cast translucent porcelain forms that will be manufactured.”

Margaret O'Rorke was awarded a research and development grant for an industrial project at the Wade's porcelain factory in Stoke-on-Trent in 1999. Louis Poulsen Lighting A/S Copenhagen unveiled in 2002 an interesting exhibition of works by Margaret O'Rorke. In 2006 she did a collaborative commission project at the Danish Royal Copenhagen porcelain factory, a light installation for the Royal Copenhagen showroom at Amagertorv, Copenhagen.
She has made studio artist visits, workshops and industrial projects to Jingdezhen in China from 2007-2009.
In 2008 a collaboration with the Jeweler Marlene McKibbin resulted in a new collection of thrown porcelain Garment Sculptures. In 2009 she collaborated with the Finnish Art Weaver Sirkka Paikkari to create the Woven Light and Porcelain installation exhibited at Contemporary Applied Arts in London UK.

Margaret has written two books about light and porcelain:
“Clay, Light and Water' by Margaret O’Rorke, A & C Black Ltd February 2010 - AMAZON.
'Light and Porcelain' about Margaret’s pieces – design/print in China, 2010.
USA Publishers interviewed Margaret in April 2010 - see: YOUTUBE

PROCESSES AND TECHNIQUES
"The majority of my studio work is hand-thrown porcelain. When the clay is sufficiently firm, I cut and reform it. Frequently, pieces are joined when leather hard. Some hand-built work has included rolled reeds. For free-standing pieces, I may throw stoneware bases which incorporates the light fitting.
Following my industrial research projects and experiments I have made plaster-moulds from the thrown forms. Some cast forms are re-formed when leather-hard.
The pieces are fired in a gas kiln to 1300 C.
The high-fired porcelain is unglazed in order to preserve the definition and directness of the making process.
Within each piece, incorporating the lighting technology is an integral part of the creative process. Installations, including chandeliers, wall pieces and fountains, have all involved my developing complex engineering, both electrical and mechanical."

RECENT EXHIBITIONS 2007-11
2007 Victoria and Albert Museum, Flow Gallery “Collect”.
Galerie Besson “Classic and Contemporary Ceramics”.
Oxford Museum, Woodstock, “Potters of Portland”.
Flow Gallery. London. “Commissioning Exhibition”.
Jingdezhen Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute. China “International Master's exhibition”
Wison Art Museum & Jingzhe Modern Art Museum. China "World Contemporary & Public Ceramic Art"
Contemporary Applied Arts London, Showcase.
“Porcelain Garment Sculptures”. Collaboration with Marlene McKibbin
2008 KOTONA III Fiskars Finland “Garment Sculptures”
Light Sculptures, Tulessa Syntynyt
International Exhibition, Makasini, Fiskars, Finland.
Galerie Besson 'Twenty Years, Twenty Pots'.
Jingdezhen International Ceramic exhibition and workshop. Sanbao. China.
2009 Work included in McKnight Residence Artist Exhibition May.
November – December. Northern Clay Center Solo Exhibition in Gallery A, Minneapolis USA.
2010 Solo Exhibition NCECA Translucent Porcelain and Light
Woven Light and Porcelain a Collaboration
(Sirkka Paikkari is part of the exhibition Made to Cherish at Contemporary Applied Arts London).
2011 Circus Satellite to CAA 58 Marylebone High St London

RECENT ARTIST RESIDENCES AND EVENTS 2007-10
2007 International Ceramic Research Center – Denmark, Collaborative Relationships Seminar
Royal Copenhagen Porcelain.
Jingdezhen Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute China “International master's workshop.
The 2nd ICMEA Conference International Ceramic Magazine Editors Association
Fuping Pottery Art Village, Fuping, Shaanxi, China
Conference Theme Appreciation of Ceramic Art Presentation
Margaret O’Rorke Presentation Title:
Translucent Porcelain with light Studio Potter & Industrial Designer.
2008 Jingdezhen International Ceramic exhibition and workshop. Sanbao. China.
2009 Awarded Mc Knight Visiting Artist in Residence. January – March.

PUBLICATIONS AND ARTICLES
Porcelain: Caroline Whyman. Batsford.
Ceramic Technology for Potters and Sculptors: Yvonne Cuff. A & C Black 1996.
Porcelain: Jack Doherty Ceramic Handbook, A & C Black 2002.
Porcelain and Bone China: Sasha Wardell. Crowood 2004.
Naked Clay: Jane Perryman, A & C Black 2004.
Ceramics with Mixed Media: Joy Boswell, A & C Black.
Breaking the Mould: Black Dog Publications 2007.
Clay, Light and Water: by Margaret O’Rorke, A & C Black Ltd February 2010 - available on AMAZON.
USA Publishers of the book did an interview of Margaret in Philadelphia April 2010 - posted on YOUTUBE.
Light and Porcelain Booklet of Margaret’s work designed and printed in China.
Ceramic Technical May - October 2010
American Crafts June-July 2009