Claydies Magazine by Karen Kjældgård-Larsen

CLAYDIES

REVEALS IT ALL!

WWW.CLAYDIES.DK

FASHION

HEAVY HAIRSTYLES!

DISCOVER

THE GRASS IS GREEN DRINKS

Filtered COFFEE beats them all! FOOD

CERAMICS

AND CINNAMON

True feelings ARTICLE

A REVIEW ON CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS

INTERIOR DESIGN

LIVING ROOM MAKEOVER CROSSWORDS SPECIAL

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FEATURECLAYDIES 2011

DEAR READER CLAY is a fine-grained earthy material that is plastic when wet and hardens when dried and fired. Clay is widely used in the production of bricks, tiles and pottery. It is one of the oldest materials used for design and it can be processed in big computerized production machines or shaped with your own bare hands.

CONTENTS

LADY is a polite term for a woman. The word is often interpreted as an elegant woman with a distinct sense of beauty and glamour.

FEATURE

CLAYDIES is a duo of ladies working with clay.

3/ A childhood dream

came true

14/ Focus on Claydies by art historian Rikke Helverskov Dahl

34/ Grass is growing – See the process behind the product

LIVING

10/ True feelings, set your table with a personal fingerprint

18/ Living room makeover, Renew with contemporary design

BEAUTY

9/ Follow ten dogmas and

discover True feelings

FOOD

20/ The Blueclay bakery

Appreciations to:

Photos: morganmorell,

Cover and back: Photo-illustration

Danish Crafts, Denmarks Nationalbank’s

Anne Mie Drevers (Story behind Grass)

from the exhibition “True feelings”

Anniversary Foundation of 1968,

Retouch: Werkstette (fashion pages)

at liljevalchs Konsthall in Stockholm,

Kähler Design,

Words: Claydies and Rikke Helverskov

Sweden 2007

Royal Copenhagen

Graphics: Line at Smoke & Mirrors Studio

www.claydies.dk, 2011

20 1

CONTENTS

FASHION

4/ Hairstyle Fashion – Claydies and Gentlemen

HEALTH

26/ A Coffee Story

THRILLER

12/ A Ceramist’s Worst

Nightmare

TRAVEL

32/ Travel – Get On The Train

PROBLEM PAGES

28/ Letter Pages

– Ask Inet and Keran

37/ Claydies Crosswords

32 28

FEATURECLAYDIES 2011

CHILDHOOD CAME TRUE! DREAM A

lready in their early years, Tine and Karen were interested in working with clay. Since these pictures were taken, the two girls have shaped and designed a variety of items for everyday use. 6

Karen is throwing a pot on the wheel. Nørrebro, Copenhagen 1984.

Tine is working on a plate. Vester Sottrup 1981. Tine Broksø, Born in Holbæk 1971. Education: 1995-2000, The Danish Design School, Copenhagen. Karen Kjældgård-Larsen, Born in Copenhagen 1974. Education: 1995-2000, The Danish Design School, Copenhagen.

CUT THE

CLAY! Latest fashion in ceramics! – try on one of these perky hairstyles. Each bowl is handmodelled in high-fired stoneware and covered with thick coloured glaze. They are all unique pieces that can help you express your individuality.

4 Hairstyle bowl “Billy” / Presented at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA. 2010.

FASHIONCLAYDIES 2011

5 Hairstyle bowl “Sally” / Presented at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA. 2010.

INDHOLD

6 Hairstyle bowl “John” / Presented at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA. 2010.

FASHIONCLAYDIES 2011

7 Hairstyle bowl “Liza” / Presented at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA. 2010.

INDHOLD

8 Feelings at Liljevalchs Konsthall in Stockholm, Sweden, 2007. True

BEAUTYCLAYDIES 2011

FOLLOW TEN DOGMAS and discover

TRUE FEELINGS CERAMIC MANIFESTO – DOGMA07

This is an experiment. The production of the ceramic objects will take place from January 2007. We swear to comply with the following set of rules, referred to as Dogma07:

1. Each object must be made out of clay. Only one sort of clay is allowed.

2. Each object must be shaped with hands or body only. No tools are allowed.

3. While in the process of creating the objects, the ceramic artist is to be blindfolded. The blindfold must not be removed until each item is declared finished.

4. No adaptation of objects still unfired is allowed. 5. While in the process of creating, the ceramic artist is not allowed to discuss her work with others.

6. All creations must be functional for everyday use in manageable sizes.

7. After firing, all articles must be fully glazed – if possible. 8. Only blue glaze is acceptable. 9. No decoration is allowed. 10. Each object must be inscribed Dogma07.

As ceramic artists we furthermore swear not to be influenced by fashion or personal taste. We promise to respect all the Dogma-rules with no consideration for our personal ambitions or artistic vanity. In the process of creating these objects we are no longer reflecting designers – we are merely hands at work.

CLAYDIES

Dogma07 – exhibited at the Biennale of crafts and Design, Trapholt, Denmark, 2007.

RAW AND ROMANTIC!

LIVINGCLAYDIES 2011

Beautiful, unrefined and delicate. The TRUE FEELINGS porcelain service sets the perfect stage for a romantic afternoon tea with your special someone. Set the table with delicately hand-shaped cups and plates; decorate with rosy buttercups, pale or pinkish fruits, white chocolate, sweets and candles to create an atmosphere that simply oozes passion and cotton candy.

Hand-modelled porcelain service produced by Claydies. Part of Crafts Collection cc15.

A CERAMICISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

WORST NIGHTMARE Prejudice weighs heavily when it comes to ceramics. They can be absolutely appalling and dreadful ... But can they also be ghastly and frightening?

n many ways, working with ceramics is a tough and frightening experience. The clay must endure being punched and pounded, cut through, rolled, wrenched, dried, fired and submerged into toxic substances only to be fired again. In addition, the ceramicist exposes herself to chromium and bari-

um carbonate and to a dreaded incurable lung disease caused by specks of dust. Not to mention all the sufferings related to the disappointment when opening a kiln where everything is completely ruined. It is unbearable to watch pieces fracture, crackle, collapse or melt ... A ceramicistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worst nightmare!

THRILLERCLAYDIES 2011

The exhibition Chamber of horrors at Malmรถ Art Museum 2005.

CLAYDIES – A NEW ERA FOR THE CRAFTS? BY ARTHISTORIAN RIKKE HELVERSKOV DAHL TRANSLATED BY HELEN CLARA HEMSLEY

f you had popped by the basement of 10 Haderslevgade in Vesterbro, Copenhagen in 2006 and witnessed the Ceramic duo Claydies – armed with loaded shotguns – practically shooting pots and jugs to create a ceramic collection battered with bullet holes, you would have undeniably left again feeling rather intrigued and amazed. It none the less gives one food for thought and acts as a great retort to those who might be of the opinion that in the very distinction between art and crafts, lays an implicit distinction between the work’s greater or lesser ability to bring new and more transcendental meanings into play.

ation this field’s polished image and how this little shooting séance could mean the death of an era in the history of crafts? Or as Claydies obviously compromise the many stereotypes associated with this profession and ask the question: We know that ceramics can be awful but can it be downright scary? In their, humorous, ambiguous but above all, conceptual universe, Claydies play with the idea of the general characteristics of the crafts, as well as with the design and stylistic traditions historically attached to this field.

inclusive questions, honestly and unfiltered,

On one hand, we are invited into the craft

that rather than giving possible answers forc-

world’s private room, behind the scenes of

es new thoughts and reflection forward. As is

the ceramic process. At the same time, we are

often the case, the duo operates in a strong

apparently the audience for a piece of absurd

contradictory, humorously associative and

theatre, or maybe more aptly in this context –

opinion-forming universe. A universe span-

witnesses to a crime, which seen in relation to

ning from the mundane to the reflective. On

craft’s traditional aesthetic focal point, shows

the one hand as witnesses to the murder of

a surprisingly ugly, raw and unrefined face.

these 12 identical pots, we are given a glimpse

Shooting in the workshop on vesterbro.

of the creative process and the feeling of clay

With that said, it does not mean that the aes-

in the hands of the ceramists. How they

thetic quality of the work becomes second-

brutally cut into it, bash and hit it. On the

ary, at the expense of the conceptual. The exact opposite. It is more like that by virtue

With The Murder of 12 Identically Shaped Pots, which this performative shoot out was a spin-off of, when it was shown at Malmö

“A universe spanning from the mundane to the reflective.”

of their work’s ability to open the viewers’ eyes to other contexts; the duo rediscovers a new aesthetic through a particularly meaningful form of expression. Or maybe, more

Art Museum under the name of Chamber of Horrors in 2005, Tine Broksø and Kar-

other hand we are, as spectators of this per-

accurately, the duo is on a kind of voyage of

en Kjældgård-Larsen, the ceramists behind

formative action, naturally also bombarded

discovery through ceramic history, in search

Claydies, do in fact open up for what actually

with connotative and significant expressions,

of a reopening between form and idea, which

could be described as art’s most distinctive

which reach beyond the work and form itself.

will to the same degree allow meaning to

quality. That is, the ability to ask open and

Should we, for example, take into consider-

come from the outside just as much as from

FEATURECLAYDIES 2011

the inside. Essentially, all their pieces seem

we have regarding the aesthetic principals of

inclined to smile about this original interpre-

to share the unique quality that the context

ceramic design completely upside down.

tation of the grass vase’s every day motif. But at the same time, through a rich, referential

they evolve out of is not only paramount to our experience and understanding of it, but

These little, neat, green tufts of grass are

and entertaining register of meaningful ele-

instead can compliment a range of essential

designed in such a direct, unequivocal and

ments, the viewer will also be invited to enter

qualities within the ceramic form as such.

honest way that they literally articulate

into a dialogue with all that this vase para-

This is clearly illustrated in the work True

everything that is concretely devoid of the

phrases in relation to craft tradition. We meet

Feelings – created while blindfolded and

flower – an ironic reflection on the vase’s

a world that in relation to art’s most distinctive

according to a carefully thought-out list of

actual function.

quality presents an unfiltered approach to the presence of the idea, reflection and interpre-

dogma rules, but at the same time steered by the ceramists’ random and instinctive ac-

Like the originality of using a shotgun to dec-

tation in the work. It could be, that in the case

tions. As beautiful and tactile as they are, they

orate some pots, this pulls the duo’s ceramic

of Grass, it is the tools that lead us to mak-

also seem to be making a critical comment

pieces into an artistic and reflective space of

ing associations regarding the object’s actual

on the tradition for cleansing ceramic objects

content creation, as well as into an aesthetic,

function. There are elements that make us ask

of the very quality of the handmade. We are

designed and functional consumer culture.

questions about the legitimacy of a particular mode of expression. Not to mention the ele-

in Claydies’ hands and are as far away as we can get from the self-reliant ceramic work’s

More than anything, the uniqueness of these

ments, which open up for a range of nearly

viewer-independent domain.

‘functional grass patches’ lies in the choice

unlimited considerations regarding a new

and investigation of the idea, which encapsu-

type of every day art (I naturally mean this

lates the conceptual-

“As beautiful and tactile as they are, they also seem to be making a critical comment on the tradition for cleansing ceramic objects of the very quality of the handmade.”

ism that runs, like a red thread, through the work of these two ceramists. Regarding conceptual art, Sol Le Witt once

about a confrontation with a part of the

said: “In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair.” It is perhaps

identity and motif world, which the ceramic

a bit misleading when dealing with these

in the best possible way). Art, where the para-

craft and especially porcelain manufactur-

ceramic pieces to talk about ‘execution’ as

phrased motif plays a vital role in the work’s

ers have revolved around for centuries: The

a mere ‘perfunctory affair.’ Sol LeWitt’s ob-

ability to appear welcoming to the viewer and

noble and refined nature of the stylised floral

servation was, after all made in reference to

where the idea emerges as the fundamental

decoration. Loyal to their other work, Clay-

an especially minimalistic and installation

prerequisite for the final form.

dies interfere with this motif tradition and fo-

related field of work. It is never the less in-

cus on the normal and the ‘neglected’ rather

teresting that the carefully formulated dog-

We are so used to (and so bored by) the rhe-

than in the rare and exalted. Specifically,

ma rules from which Claydies created True

torical question: What is art? But are we ac-

with the grass that of course bears a certain

Feelings, more or less fits this definition of

tually prepared for the rhetoric in: What is

meaning in a Danish context and which the

conceptualism.

craft? It may at any rate look like Claydies

Just as the motifs in The Chamber of Horrors and True Feelings playfully invite the outside, inside in their crafting process, it is important to point out the special quality illustrated in Grass. The grass vase was conceived and created for the exhibition Dansk

(Danish) at Danish Design Centre in 2004 and has ended up becoming a bit of a Claydies classic. Also here, it is implicit to talk

Designing with blindfolds.

are attempting to do just this with their most

exhibition Dansk’s aim was naturally to accentuate, represents the part of nature that

Conceptual art or not, it is crucial that Clay-

noteworthy and acclaimed work, Claydies

doesn’t actually do anything special. In other

dies, through their own conceptual practice,

and Gentleman. As the girls illustrate, a

words, it represents everything that in real-

are able to shift the work from the aesthetical-

bowl can actually also be a hat or a wig.

ity is ordinary or unpretentious and for those

ly narrow, exclusively self-referential field of

very reasons are of interest to Claydies and

meaning to the extended gaze of the specta-

The so-called hairstyle inspired bowls were

their overall project: To turn the expectations

tor. It is pretty certain that the viewer could be

first shown at Gallery Nørby in 2003 and 15

Claydies on the cat walk

incorporated everything I have described up to now and even more. Firstly, these works emerge from a conceptual framework, which in this case literally carries the design forward. Placing an ironic distance between this discipline’s flawless image, this series of bowls that are meaningful as ceramic objects

“We are so used to (and so bored by) the rhetorical question: What is art? But are we actually prepared for the rhetoric in: What is craft?”

clay from 2008. A series of dough bowls where different dyed slips have been swirled together, wet on wet, to create a marblelike decoration, which more than anything reminds us of the patterns created when a baker mixes ingredients in a bowl. As with the hairstyle bowls, the duo links qualities and phenomena from one trade with

in their own essence, as well as acting as a type of catalyst for the unfolding of a specific

fact modelled and created on lifelike plas-

another, which is why these dough bowls’

interdisciplinary discourse – naturally in con-

ter mannequin heads. Claydies hereby step

abstract formations are representative of

nection with a hairdresser who sets hair. But,

out of the ceramist role and into the role of

the concept and the ideas flowing into each

it seems that the purpose behind this form of

hairdresser and are able to express the pro-

other, just as with the materials. The result is

craft ideology goes even a step further within

cess of craft’s essential premise: The con-

not only organically interwoven and rhyth-

its frame of interpretation, in this case with

stantly elastic relationship between material

mic but also has a touch of the psychedelic

its reference to hairdressing, which directly

and the working of it. Within a conceptual

like the decorations one finds in the techno/

unfolds and virtually becomes one with the

context, they open up to the fact that form

trance culture. So it probably does not come

ceramic work’s actual intention. This can be

is never just form, but always contains some-

as a surprise that Claydies introduced this

seen in the way in which Tine Broksø and

thing, which is more or less referential – a

decoration principle on record players as

Karen Kjældgård-Larsen presented these

narrative or a comment, so to speak. Com-

rotating LP-like models accompanied by

ceramic hair pieces in the most literal way

prehensively, this contributes to making the

flickering strobe lights. As the project title,

– on a catwalk accompanied by loud music.

bowls just as meaningful from the inside as

Tradition in Trance indicates, it was an

In keeping with Grass, Chamber of Hor-

from the outside. Actually, it seems that as

obvious attempt to show the craft tradition

rors and True Feelings, the girls don’t just

the viewer you suddenly are able to expe-

going round in a trance. It is as if they were

give way to a whole new aesthetic based on

rience something through the bowl, which

freed of their ascription as usable objects as

a viewer dependent context. Instead, they

you wouldn’t expect to get from a hairstyle

well as all the connotations associated with

equate the context with the work itself, which

and vice versa.

ceramic work in general. In line with Claydies’ other work, this project will make you

of course allows for completely different and perhaps transgressive questions: Can ceramics be downright fashionable, maybe even sexy? We are thus left with an especially eye-opening series, which instead of finding beauty in the realm of beauty itself finds its qualities in the connotations that these bowls actually imitate. A hairstyle as form, style, and personal attitude.

“Within a conceptual context, they open up to the fact that form is never just form, but always contains something, which is more or less referential.”

smile about the immediacy of their message and in many ways sums up Claydies’ artistic approach: To express a particular vision of ceramic artwork where the object, above all must have an origin that goes beyond the apparent function. In other words, to move boundaries for the discipline’s ability to reach out from its own objects and into a contextual and diverse

It is interesting that the catwalk performance

This conceptual interplay between two dif-

isn’t just a spin off of a traditional ceramic

ferent, although associatively alike form

universe of interpretation, which essentially

design process but that the bowls were in

giving practices, is also present in Blue-

must pertain to the viewer. 6

FEATURECLAYDIES 2011

GRASS Name: Grass Vase Design: Claydies Material: Stoneware Size: 11 cm, 12,5 cm, 15,5 cm Price DKK: 250 kr, 350 kr, 450 kr Price EUR: 35 €, 45 €, 60 €

Østerbrogade 70 ! 2100 København Ø ! Denmark ! Tel: +45 35 55 44 59 normann-copenhagen.com ! shop.normann-copenhagen.com

Tradition &

RENEWAL 1

BEFORE 1 Vintage plaques 2 Old handpainted vase 3 Cushion with embroidery 4 Moroccan pouffe 5 Oriental rug 6 Homemade pillow 2 6

4 3

LIVINGCLAYDIES 2011

AFTER 1 Unique plaques by Claydies 2 Vase by Claydies and Normann Copenhagen 3 Patchwork cushion by Claydies 4 Puff and cushion 5 Wollen rug by Claydies and Normann Copenhagen

5 4

Exambles of product design by claydies from 2004 to 2011.

FOODCLAYDIES 2011

BLUECLAY

The Blueclay bowls come in three sizes and four colours, and have been produced by Normann Copenhagen, 2008- 2010.

FOODCLAYDIES 2011

BLUECLAY Reinvent old traditions. Make your own home-baked buns in this redesign of an ancient earthenware dish. Blueclay is thrown on a potterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheel and decorated by hand with engobe, using a special Claydies technique in which the colours are mixed to create a marble-like decoration.

DIRECTIONS 6

Mix milk and yeast in a Blueclay bowl.

Add egg and melted butter.

Add sugar, salt and cardamom and mix in the flour.

Knead the dough thoroughly until smooth and elastic.

Let it raise in a warm place until it has doubled its size.

WHILE THE DOUGH RAISES 6

CINNAMON BUNS 25 grams of yeast

Mix the soft butter with cinnamon and sugar into a spreadable paste.

WHEN THE DOUGH HAS DOUBLED ITS SIZE 6

Place it on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle.

Spread the cinnamon paste evenly on the dough.

half a teaspoon of salt

Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough.

1 teaspoon of cardamom

With a serrated knife, cut into slices approximately 2 cm thick.

Place the snail-like slices on a prepared baking tray.

Let the buns rest until they have doubled their size.

100 grams of butter half a liter of milk one egg

half a dl of sugar 750 grams of wheat flour

FILLING 150 grams of soft butter 100 grams of sugar 2 tablespoons of cinnamon

WHILE THE BUNS REST 6

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Whip the egg lightly and brush the buns with the eggmix.

Bake them in the preheated oven for 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 30 minutes, until golden.

Let them cool and serve on your matching Blueclay plates.

Serve with tea or coffee in your Blueclay cups.

INDHOLD

The Blue fluted mega decoration is designed by Karen Kjældgård-Larsen (one of the two Claydies), 2000-present.

FEATURECLAYDIES 2011

COMBINE AS YOU LIKE Since

1775

www.royalcopenhagen.com 25

ccording to new American studies, coffee can be an actual health-booster, reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney stone and variuos types of cancer. But in order to really benefit from the positive side-effects of this energizing drink, you should lay your hands on the new, innovative Claydies two-in-one coffee percolator.

26 Source: POLITIKEN

Espresso and press coffee contain the fats cafestol and kahweol, which increase your level of cholesterol as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease. Percolated (filtered) coffeee, on the other hand, will not only enhance the rich taste of the beans, it will also capture the unwelcome fats in the filter. So, find your filters at the back of your cupboard, limit your intake to three to five cups a day – and enjoy your coffee the cool way!

HEALTHCLAYDIES 2011

HOT COFFEE THE COOL WAY! FORGET INSTANT AND PRESS

FILTER COFFEE IS BY FAR THE HEALTHIEST!

Coffeepot prototype and cups/plates with hand-painted decorations. Designed by Claydies 2010/2011.

LETTER PAGES

Puzzled by something? Feel free to contact Inet and Keran with your questions regarding art and design

WEIRD JUGS I have these three jugs. They look really odd and they don’t seem to be very useful or practical. Do you think they might be valuable? Do you have any idea why they look so silly? Love Lydia Dear Lydia, You are looking at a one-off project by the ceramic duo Claydies. These three jugs are made by the artists themselves, and have never been shown in public. They are the result of an experimental project, in which the duo made each jug jointly, but with no knowledge of each other’s design. One has made the foot, the other the lower part with handle etc ... ending with the lid. If we are to put a value to the three jugs as one complete work, our estimate would be around 25.000 DKr. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

ABNORMAL BEER BOTTLES I found these abnormal beer bottles in a recycling depot. They are almost identical to the archetypical Danish beer bottle; however the dimension of the bottleneck seems somewhat enlarged. I have found that it has just the right size for holding a candle! Is this the real purpose? Or do you have any suggestions on what they are really for? I suppose I can get my 2 kroner deposit on these bottles ... would that be wise? Bobby

Dear Bobby If you return the bottles to us, we are willing to pay you quite a lot more than the deposit on a regular beer bottle. It looks like you have a whole six-pack. And yes – they are candleholders, as you yourself suggest. They are unique prototypes made by Claydies, and have never been put into production. Quite a treasure you found there! Kind regards, Inet and Keran

QUIRKY BIKE HELMET I came across this picture in some old clippings. Can you tell me who made this quirky bike helmet? The housewife. Dear housewife, The bike helmet was made by the ceramic duo Claydies. They made it in 2005 as an exhibition project for the Biennale of Arts and Design in Denmark. You can see other helmets from the same project on their web site www.claydies.com. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

PROBLEM PAGESCLAYDIES 2011

PONYTALE

Stitched Coffeepot

I found this strange brush in my aunt’s attic. I was wondering if it was a one off from a brush factory; a mistake of some kind. Or perhaps it served a special purpose in the good old days? I quite like it, but should I use it? Regards,Henry Dear Henry Please do not use the brush for ordinary brush purposes! You are the lucky owner of a unique piece of art. The brush is made at a blind peoples’ workshop. But the work was initiated by Claydies and the Danish design group RÅ around year 2000. The piece originates from an exhibition by RÅ at the Museum of Arts and Crafts called: Totem, En udstilling om hverdagen. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

I once saw this jug in a shop window on the outskirts of Vesterbro in Copenhagen, and I utterly regret that I didn’t buy it. Please, can you tell me where I can get my hands on one? Best wishes, Betty Dear Betty , I have checked your request and we are sorry to say that it is no longer purchasable. The jug was made by Claydies and it was exhibited for the first time at the New Nordic exhibition at Gallery Nørby in Copenhagen in 2001. It is part of the series: Claydies Kitchenwear. The duo made a few jugs and at that time they were sold for 1800 DKr. If you’re lucky, you might find it at an auction or so. We wish you luck! Kind regards, Inet and Keran

PIXELATED SKY Can you say anything about this bed spread? I found it in a second hand shop in New York. Greg Dear Greg , Put your bed spread on your lawn and go to the top window of your house to have a look at it. Now you will see the motive of a sky with clouds appearing. And you are quite right: it is a bed spread and it was designed by Claydies around 20082009. As far as we know it is a patchwork quilt made solely with white and blue squares of fabric, and we also believe your bed spread is the only one ever made, so take good care of it! Kind regards, Inet and Keran

DRESS’N DRY I am a true Claydies fan and I have once heard that they made some towels that are just like dresses. Sounds awesome, I think. Is it true? Do you know anything about this? A fan Dear Claydies fan We have asked around and can confirm that Claydies really did make towels at one point. We have found a picture of them wearing the towels in their old workshop at Vesterbro in Copenhagen. The picture is from September 2004. The towels are made of towel cloth and are sewn with a smock technique that adds shape and character to the cloth. There is a lady-like version that resembles a dress when worn, and a more masculine version that looks like a king’s cape. Unfortunately, these are not yet put into production and therefore cannot be acquired anywhere. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

FLOATING CUP

PSYCHEDELIC RECORD PLAYER

What is this? It was swimming in a pond in my neighbourhood. I posted it on the local library’s notice board but nobody has claimed ownership. I have cleaned it up and it looks quite dashing. Hope you can enlighten me. Best wishes, Brenda Dear Brenda, The object, as you describe it, is a unique Water Lily Cup designed by Claydies. The water lily cup has a keel and actually floats on water like a real water lily. It is from the autumn exhibition at Charlottenborg in 2001. An exhibition called: ”Langtbortistan” made with the exhibition group RÅ (you can learn more about RÅ somewhere else on these pages). The last time we checked, they cost around 1800 DKr. apiece. Today, however, their price has most certainly gone up. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

I am very puzzled about a certain object that I saw a few years ago in a Gallery window in Norway. It really piqued my curiosity. Can you tell me more about the object and the context it should be seen in? Yours sincerely, Mrs. Horrace Dear Mrs. Horrace, The object you are referring to originates from an exhibition in Stavanger, Norway in July 2008 called: Tradition in Trance. The artists behind are the Danish ceramicists Claydies. At this exhibition they were working with old ceramic methods and they used local clay dug out of Danish soil. We were told that they later used this exhibition as a source of inspiration when they developed their popular Blueclay dishes. Hopefully, you will find our answer satisfying. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

TABLE CLOTH FOR THE GAMBLING-MAD I am what you might call “gambling-mad” and I have heard a rumour that the ceramic duo Claydies have made some tablecloths decorated with board games. Can that be true? Best regards, Trudy Dear Trudy, We are happy to tell you that you are right. In 2005, Claydies designed several tablecloths decorated with board games. One was called Halma, another one Nine Men’s Morris. We found a picture of a colourful one with a Ludo game. Unfortunately, We cannot tell you if the tablecloths have ever been put into production. But it would certainly be a good idea to do so! Kind regards, Inet and Keran

IS IT ME, OR DOES THIS LOOK LIKE ..? I just bought a new apartment and these hooks hung on the kitchen wall when I moved in. Do you know what they are? The curious girl Dear curious girl, The hooks on your wall are art pieces by Claydies, the two Danish ceramicists who work with conceptual arts and crafts. The hook is made from a special cone that ceramicists use when firing their kilns. The cone is straight when it is put into the kiln and melts when the kiln reaches the right temperature. This cone melts at 1280° Celsius. They don’t make the hooks anymore, and we don’t think many were made. So, you can either keep it or sell it. My guess is that many would be interested in buying it. – We know we would! Kind regards, Inet and Keran

PROBLEM PAGESCLAYDIES 2011

THE SLUDGE CROWN

KILLINGS What is this? Found it on the web and want to buy. How much? Liam the lion. Hello Liam the Lion, You are looking at some spin-offs from an art project by the ceramic duo Claydies: A project called: Chamber of Horrors, which was exhibited at Malmö Art Museum in Sweden. We believe you can buy them directly from Claydies. You can find their contact information on www.claydies.com. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

My name is Lambard and I am 10 years old. My grandmother has a picture of an old crown in her living room. I have a project at school about royal symbols. Can you explain what this crown signifies? Lambard Dear Lambard, Your school project sounds very interesting, but we are afraid that our answer may not be of much help to you. And yet . . . the crown in your grandmother’s picture is a sludge crown made by the Danish design duo called Claydies. As far as we know, the crown itself is made of stoneware and then covered with sludge from under the sink in their workshop, before fired in the kiln. They use the crown symbol to underline the value of the sludge. Sludge is the word we use for the remains of a ceramic production and it is normally thrown away. But when used as decoration on a ceramic piece, the sludge acquires a whole new value. Kind regards, Inet and Keran

LOVE 6 LETTER

I am a keen collector of Blue fluted MEGA and I once heard a rumour that Karen, (from Claydies) who designed The MEGA decoration, wrote a letter to the Royal Porcelain Factory when she was only a small child and suggested that they put the MEGA decoration into production. Is that true? Ursula Dear Ursula, We have heard many rumours concerning Karen Kjældgård-Larsen’s Blue fluted MEGA, but we have never stumbled upon the rumour you suggest here. Nevertheless, we found out that she actually did write the old factory a letter when she was only a child. You can see a photo of the letter here. Her proposal was to make stationery decorated with the original Blue fluted pattern. Her love for the Blue fluted decoration is certainly deep-rooted! Kind regards, Inet and Keran

TRAVEL

TRAVELCLAYDIES 2011

Make your train trip an unforgettable experience as you dine in style with the Claydies designed disposable parts for the various foods served on a train. To put you in a genuine picnic mood, the decoration imitates the traditional check tablecloth. And once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve finished eating, you can wrap your leftovers in the plate and take them with you. BON APPĂ&#x2030;TIT!

Claydies testing traditional table settings on the train.

EATING ON THE TRAIN disposable tableware for the journey. Design ideas for DSB (the Danish Railways) Initiated by the Danish Arts Foundation in 2004.

THE STORY BEHIND GRASS 34

FEATURECLAYDIES 2011

he next time you go for a wander along the roadside and feel delighted by all the little flowers in your path â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bring them home! Claydies have designed the perfect abode for the humble roadside bloom. A vase called Grass. Made from simple components (slaps, clay pipes and rolled clay), the vase imitates a small tuft of grass and encircles a single flower naturally. Watch the process of Grass-making in the Claydies workshop.

Grass is designed by Claydies and has been produced by Normann Copenhagen since 2007.

detalje.com

INDHOLD

With , cements its century-long tradition for art ceramics. Behind the new objects stand the ceramicists # and " ! , or , who have created some of the most acclaimed designs on the contemporary Danish ceramics scene.

PRIMADONNA DKK. 999,- DESIGN CLAYDIES WWW.KAHLERDESIGN.COM

PROBLEM PAGESCLAYDIES 2011

CLAYDIES CROSSWORDS Browse the magazine for help or visit www.claydies.com

CONNECT THE LETTERS 1 - 23 TO LEARN WHAT CLAYDIES IS ALL ABOUT.

CLAYDIES

REVEALS IT ALL!

WWW.CLAYDIES.DK

CROSSWORDS SPECIAL THE GRASS IS GREEN ARTICLE

A REVIEW ON CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS INTERIOR DESIGN

LIVING ROOM MAKEOVER

DISCOVER

True feelings FASHION

HEAVY HAIRSTYLES!

DRINKS

Filtered COFFEE beats them all! FOOD

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