BIOTOPE
Bente Skjøttgaard
EXHIBITION 18 June – 22 August 2020
Summer closed 25. July - 3. August
No one knows the day before the sun goes down.. in deep water.
We gladly follow Bente Skjøttgaard on her marvellous journey. Under ground, above ground on clouds of all kinds, or into deep water, where it may be difficult.
She always seems to be able to swim at ease regardless of the fascinating dangers of the journey in wild colours and shapes, disturbing materiality and dripping glaze layers - from sky phenomena to lava-like caves, from cow hooves on the ancient Danish road (Hærvejen) to car tracks at huge clay plates, - from the feather light to the dark surfaces.
We'll try keep up with the travel without knowing for sure what she will do next.
It is a pleasure to welcome the artist and the audience who dare to venture on a journey.
Bente Skjøttgaard is in the middle of an active brilliant career that does not happen exclusively in the studio, although it is clear that she is there often.She exhibits all over the world, is the initiator and co-owner of Copenhagen Ceramics, has been a visiting teacher at the Kolding School of Design, taught at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Design, former Chair of the National Arts Foundation's Grants Committee on Crafts and Design, Jury member at the Biennale Internationale de Vallauris 2014, France, and early on a guest artist at the Bing & Grondahl and Royal Copenhagen Porcelain.
She manages to maintain her initiative, drive and ability to always develop new works, which appear from extensive research on the subject that quite current has come within her sphere of interest.
Often these are phenomena related to nature, science, and always with the infinite possibilities of the material in focus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotope
Images of pieces in the same order as the exhibition list:
BENTE SKJØTTGAARD was born in Danmark 1961. Co-manager, Copenhagen Ceramics since 2012.
EDUCATION Kolding Design School, Kolding Denmark 1982-86. JURY member Biennale Internationale de Vallauris 2014, Frankrig. SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS “Look at me”, Madoura, Vallauris 2019/ Galerie Maria Lund, Paris 2018. ”Nature of Glaze” Pierre Marie Giraud, Bruxelles 2017. ”Espèces nouvelles – New Species” Galerie Maria Lund, Paris 2016. “Cumulus Congestus”, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Bruxelles, ”Cumulonimbus” Copenhagen Ceramics, DK 2014. ”Aire de Repos” Galerie Maria Lund, Paris 2013. Bodil Manz and Bente Skjøttgaard: “Cuts and interventions”, Copenhagen Ceramics 2012. ”Fokus on Traces” Vejen Art Museum, Vejen DK, Puls contemporary ceramics, Bruxelles 2011. ”Dans le nuages” Galerie Maria Lund, Paris. ”Cumulus” Ann Linnemann Gallery 2010. ”Traces” selected by the Danish Art Foundation, Project 'Hærvejen' www.kunst.dk/billedkunst/kunstidetoffrum/haervejen
www.skjoettgaard.dk
ALL SOLID MELTS INTO AIRExhibition 13.6-2.8 2020 Art Warehouse, Ikast, DK
Bente Skjøttgaard & Anne Damgaard
Bente Skjøttgaard challenges the weight of the clay to create organic formations and structures in the pursuit of the weightless. She works systematically on the premises of the ceramic material, but balances on the limit of the possible, and the studies develop into memories of amorphous natural abstractions, with thick layers of glaze. In recent years, Bente Skjøttgaard, inspired by cloud formations in the sky, has worked to lift the weight of the clay and give it movement, by examining the variability and airy volume of the clouds.
CUMULUSBente Skjøttgaard's interest in the 'higher spheres' began at her first visit to South Korea in 2008. Soon after, her first clouds were born, sort of growths where interlaced columbine structures rise above very fine 'trunks' with reference to the country's ceramic tradition.
”It is a play with forms and colour, variations of something as contradictory as making airy and light clouds in the heavy clay. The pink colour is the colour that clouds get after the sun has set. A kind of reflection. The level lines appear as those of the horizon. I like when the wildly grown organic - that has no specific form and in reality could continue infinitely - are cut through by straight sharp lines."
About clouds...Cumulus clouds are a type of cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. Cumulus means "heap" or "pile" in Latin. They are often described as "puffy" or "cotton-like" in appearance. Cumulus clouds may appear alone, in lines, or in clusters.
Cumulus clouds are often precursors of other types of clouds, such as cumulonimbus, when influenced by weather factors such as instability, moisture, and temperature gradient.
Cumulus clouds are part of the larger family of cumuli-form clouds, which include cumulus, cumulus congestus, and cumulonimbus clouds, among others.
The most intense cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds may be associated with severe weather phenomena such as hail, waterspouts and tornadoes.
Cumulus humilis clouds, appearing as small- or medium-sized puffy shapes in the sky, often occur in times of fair weather.
However, cumulus clouds can grow into cumulonimbus clouds which may produce heavy rain, lightning, severe and strong winds, hail, and even tornadoes.
Cumulus congestus clouds, which appear as towers, will often grow into cumulonimbus storm clouds.
(Text freely quoted from Wikipedia) www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulus
www.vildtvejrsklubben.dk - www.dmi.dk/dmi/himlens_vejrudsigt_fraorientering.pdf
PREVIOUS PROJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS
Copenhagen Ceramics: Cuts and interventions
- Bodil Manz and Bente Skjøttgaard, 2012.
Gråsten, Hærvejen, 2010.
Ann Linnemann Gallery:
Cumulus 2010.
Interglacial Period, Gallery Nørby 2005.
Grateful thanks to The Danish Art Foundation for project funding of Ann Linnemann Gallery in 2020.
BIOGRAPHY - Bente Skjøttgaard
Born in 1961, Frederiksberg, Denmark
EDUCATION
1982-86 Kolding Design School, Kolding Denmark
1985 Exchange student at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem
EMPLOYMENTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
2016-19 Chairman of the Danish Arts Foundation's Committee for Crafts and Design
2014 Jury member at the Biennale Internationale de Vallauris 2014, France
2012- Co-manager of Copenhagen Ceramics, Smallegade 46 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen
2011 Co-founder of the exhibition platform Copenhagen Ceramics
“10 Days” International ceramics workshop at the GICBiennale 2011, Icheon, South Korea
Co-initiator of “SuperFormLab”, the new ceramics department at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design
2009-11 “Traces of the Jutland cattle”, Art along the ancient road Hærvejen, Jutland, a project by the Danish Arts Foundation.
2009 ISCAEE Symposium - the International Symposium of Ceramics Education and Exchange, South Korea
2006-08 Member of the board, International Ceramic Research Center - Guldagergaard, Skælskør, DK
2006 Co-founder of the exhibition group ”Lux Lab”
2005-16 Lecturer at the department of ceramics at the Danish Design School, Copenhagen
2002-03 Crafts Collection 6 and 7, Danish Crafts, Ambiente, Frankfurt Germany
2001-02 Jury member at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition
2001 Co-founder of the exhibition group ”New Danish Ceramics”
1999-00 Joint owner of Udstillingssted for Ny Keramik (The Exhibition Room for New Ceramics), Copenhagen
1994-05 Visiting teacher, Kolding Design School and The Danish Design School, Copenhagen
1986-90 Artist at the Royal Danish Porcelain Factories Bing & Grøndahl and Royal Copenhagen
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Jason Jacques Gallery NYC
“BIOTOPE” Ann Linnemann Gallery, Copenhagen
”All Solid melts into Air” Anne Damgaard and Bente Skjøttgaard, Kunstpakhuset Ikast DK
2019 “Regarder les nuages” Georges Maroniez/ Bente Skjøttgaard, Musée des beaux-arts de Cambrai France
“Look at me” Madoura, Vallauris FR
2018 “Look at me!” Galerie Maria Lund, Paris
2017 “Nature of Glaze” Pierre Marie Giraud, Brussels
2016 “New Species” Galerie Maria Lund, Paris
2014 ”Cumulus Congestus” Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Bruxelles
”Cumulonimbus” Copenhagen Ceramics, Frederiksberg DK
2013 ”Aire de Repos”, Galerie Maria Lund, Paris
2012 Bodil Manz and Bente Skjøttgaard: “Cuts and interventions”, Copenhagen Ceramics, DK
2011 ”Fokus on Traces” Vejen Art Museum, Vejen DK
Puls-contemporary ceramics, Bruxelles
2010 ”Dans le nuages”, Galerie Maria Lund, Paris
”Cumulus”, Ann Linnemann studio gallery, Copenhagen
2008 Blås & Knåda, Stockholm
”Elements in white”, Galerie Maria Lund, Paris
Køppe gallery, Copenhagen
2007 Puls-contemporary ceramics, Bruxelles
2006 Galerie Maria Lund - La Galerie Danoise, Paris
2005 ”Interglacial period”, Galleri Nørby, Copenhagen
2004 Galerie Maria Lund - La Galerie Danoise, Paris
2003 ”Glazed items with ramifications”,Holstebro Kunstmuseum, Holstebro DK
Puls contempory ceramics, Bruxelles
”Bente Skjøttgaard 2001-2003”, CLAY Museum of International Ceramic Art, DK
2001 Puls-contemporary ceramics, Bruxelles
2000 ”Glasurstykker” (Glazed items), Galleri Nørby, Copenhagen
1998 ”i blomst - i vase” (in bloom – in vase) with Anne Tophøj, Udstillingssted for Ny Keramik, Copenhagen
1997 ”Håndvask” (washbasin), Udstillingssted for Ny Keramik, Copenhagen
1990 Solo at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Shop, Amagertorv, Copenhagen
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 FOG Design+Art San Francisco, Represented by Jason Jacques Gallery US
2019 Salon Art+Design NYC, Represented by Side Gallery Barcelona
PAD London, Represented by Side Gallery
“CERAMIC MOMENTUM – Staging the Object” CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark, Curated by Copenhagen Ceramics DK
Gabriel & Guillaume, Beirut 2019 LB
“reCLAYmed” Berg Gallery, Stockholm SE
COLLECT London, Represented by Gallery Format, Oslo
“Turn me on ..Now” Side Gallery, Barcelona ES
”100 års dansk keramik”,Sophienholm Lyngby and Kunstforeningen Det Nu Kastet, Thisted DK
2018 “100 Years of danish Ceramics” Maison du Danemark, Paris FR
“MESTERVÆRKER” Jubilæumsudstilling, Ann Linnemann Gallery, Copenhagen
“Present” Musée & Jardins Van Buuren, Brussels BE
Design Miami/Basel, Represented by Pierre Marie Giraud, Basel CH
2017 “Claytime!” Side Gallery, Barcelona ES
“Ultimate Impact”, The Round Tower, Copenhagen
Design Miami/Basel, Basel CH, Represented by Pierre Marie Giraud
Design Miami, Pierre Marie Giraud, Miami Beach, US
GLAZE, GLASUR: kemi - masse – myte, Sophienholm Lynby and Hempel Glasmuseum Nykøbing Sj DK
“Grand Designs – Clever Hands” CLAY Museum of Ceramic Arts DK
“The stars, they are” Berg Gallery, Stockholm SE
Tresor contemporarycraft, Represented by Køppe Contemporary Objects, Basel
“Modern Masters”, Munich DE
“OBJECTS, MY FRIENDS” Art monte-carlo, Monarco
2016 Design Miami/Basel, Basel CH, Represented by Pierre Marie Giraud
Design Miami, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Miami Beach, US
“NUAGES” Centre Céramique de Giroussens, France and Galerie du WCC-BF Mons, BE
“Copenhagen ceramics Invites”, Galleria Salvatore Lanteri, Milan IT
2015 Design Miami/Basel, Basel CH, Represented by Pierre Marie Giraud
Design Miami, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Miami Beach, US
“Random Growth”, Sarah Myerscough, London
“Climats Artificiels”, Espace Fondation, Paris
14E PARCOURS CÉRAMIQUE CAROUGEOIS Biennale Internationale de Céramique contemporaine, Carouge, CH
“Many a Slip”, MARSDEN WOO GALLERY, London
“Glitter and Glaze”, Superobjekt Gallery Copenhagen
“Formed” Djanogly Art Gallery, Lakeside Arts University Park, Nottingham UK
2014 “10,000 Hours – What is Talent?” TRAPHOLT Art Museum, Kolding DK
Design Miami, Pierre Marie Giraud, Miami Beach, USA
Design Miami/ Basel, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Basel, Switzerland
“The Ceramic Object”, Galleri Format Oslo
Art14, Galerie Maria Lund, London
2013 Design Miami, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Miami Beach, USA
Design Miami/Basel, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Basel, Switzerland
“Copenhagen Ceramics invites” Galerie Maria Lund, Paris
“We would be delighted to see”, Art Center Silkeborg Bad, Silkeborg, DK
2012 ”Glasurglæder” (Glaze Joys) Vejen Art Museum, Vejen DK
UNDERVÆRKER – masterpieces from Danish private collections, KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art Aalborg, DK
”Fra Sans til Samling”. New donation from Erik Veistrup, CLAY Museum of International Ceramic Art, DK
PERTURBATIONS Musée Fabre, Montpellier, France
MINDCRAFT 12, Danish Crafts, Ventura Lambrate, Milano, Italy
2011 16ème biennale internationale de céramique de Châteauroux, France
Biennalen for Kunsthåndværk og Design 2011, Koldinghus, Kolding DK
The 6th International Competition, GICBiennale 2011, Icheon, South Korea
KIAF 2011, Korea International Art Fair, Galerie Maria Lund, Seoul, South Korea
MINDCRAFT 11,Danish Crafts, Ventura Lambrate, Milan, Italy
“Living with Ceramics”, Puls-contemporary ceramics at Ampersand House, Bruxelles
2010 Biennale international de Vallauris, Musée Magnelli, Vallauris, France
KIAF 2010, Galerie Maria Lund, Seoul, South Korea
”Across”, Carlsberg Ny Tap, Copenhagen
2009 Collect, Køppe Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, London
The Invitational World Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition: ”Adventures of the fire”, South Korea
KIAF 2009, Galerie Maria Lund, South Korea
15éme Biennale international de céramique, Châteauroux, France
“Room 141” Gallery Contemporary Ceramics, Victoria & Albert Museum, London
2008 “Statistics Ceramics”, New Danish Ceramics, Röhsska Museet, Göteborg SE and Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg GE
”Lux-Lab”, Gimsinghoved, Struer DK
KIAF 2008, Galerie Maria Lund, South Korea
2007 Collect, Galleri Nørby, V&A London
”Biennalen 2007”, Trapholt Art Museum, Kolding DK
”Everything is flux”, Drud & Køppe gallery, Copenhagen
2006 ”Bjerge i dansk kunst” (Mountains in Danish Art), Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Herning DK
”European Ceramic Context 2006”, Bornholm Art Museum, Gudhjem DK
2005 SOFA, Chicago, Galleri Nørby, Chicago USA
”The Carsten Løvbjerg Collection”, Horsens Art Museum, Horsens DK
2004 SOFA, Chicago, Galleri Nørby, Chicago USA
”Corner 2004”, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen
”Biennalen 2004”, Trapholt Art Museum, Kolding and Museum of Modern Art Aalborg, DK
2003 SOFA Chicago, Galleri Nørby, Chicago USA
”New Danish Ceramics” The Danish Museum of Art & Design, Copenhagen
2002 ”From the Kilns of Denmark: Contemporary Danish Ceramics”, The Museum of Art and Design, New York, Fitchburg, San Diego, Sacaramento, Racine, Paris and Berlin
”Mellem rum”, (In between Spaces) Udstillingssted for Ny Keramik at Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen
2000 ”Keramik uden fortilfælde” (Ceramics of no Precedent), Udstillingssted for Ny Keramik, Copenhagen
”DANSK FORM - design vom Nachbarn”, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, GE
1999 ”Keramik aus Dänemark”, Galleri Handwerk, Munich, GE
1996 ”DUPLIKA - Danish applied art 1996”, The Danish Architecture Centre, Gl. Dok, Copenhagen
1995 ”En Badeværelseshistorie” (A Bathroom story), Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen
”Dansk Design proces - produkt”, The Danish Architecture Centre, Gl. Dok, Copenhagen
1994 ”Rooms and Rituals of Everyday Life”, Den Frie, Copenhagen
”The Ceramic Jug”, Marienlyst Castle, Helsingør DK
”The Danish Ceramics Triennial 1”, Trapholt Art Museum, Kolding DK
1993 The Arts and Crafts Prize of 1879, The Danish Museum of Art & Design, Copenhagen
1991 ”Never Compromise on Quality”, Spøttrup Castle Museum, Skive DK
Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition, Copenhagen
Charlottenborg Autumn Exhibition, Copenhagen
ART IN PUBLIC SPACE
2011 “Traces of the Jutland cattle”, Art along the ancient road, Hærvejen, Jutland, a project by the Danish Arts Foundation
AWARDS AND GRANTS
New Carlsberg Foundation
Inga og Ejvind Kold Christensens pris
Nationalbankens påskønnelseslegat
The Danish Art Foundation 3-year grant
Annie & Otto Johs. Detlefs’ Keramikpris
The Danish Art Foundation
Danmarks Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond af 1968
Ole Haslunds Kunstnerfond
Danish Crafts
Designfonden
Det Reiersenske Fond
Grosserer L.F. Foghts Fond
Kunsthåndværkerprisen af 1879
National Workshops for Arts and Crafts, Ministery of Culture, Denmark
Ole Haslunds Artist Foundation
Danish Crafts
Det Reiersenske Fond
Grosserer L.F. Foghts Fond
The Arts and Crafts Price of 1879
The Exhibition Award of Charlottenborg
The Design Foundation
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Musée des Art Décorastifs Paris
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Musée National de Céramique de Sévres, France
Fond National d’Art Contemporain, France
Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen
Holstebro Kunstmuseum, Holstebro DK
Grimmerhus, Museum of International Ceramic Art, DK
Vejen Art Museum, Vejen DK
Trapholt Art Museum, Kolding DK
The Danish Art Foundation
Copenhagen Culturel Foundation
Kunstforeningen af 14. August, Copenhagen
Annie & Otto Johs. Detlefs Collection
Erik Veistrup Collection, Museum of International Ceramic Art, DK
Carsten Løvbjerg Collection
Carsten Bagge Laustsen Collection
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