Graduation 2021: Maker's Dimension

Index

Preface : Vinni Hedegaard Frederiksen

Maria Kildahl Mathiasen : An Ode

Jasmin Franko : Kenophobia

Annamaria Margareth Hartvig-Clausen : Preserve

Nathalie Cohn : The End of the World is Silent

Hanna Torvik : My Materials, My Tools, My Components, My Collaborative Partner

Laura Godsk Vestergaard : Ego

Signe Boisen : Internal Framework

Josephine Alberthe Molter : Un/spoken

Sara Vinderslev Mirkhani : Our Eternal Body

Armel Desrues : Vases Communicant

Clara Rudbeck Toksvig : The Only Constant is Change

Maren Gammelgaard Aaserud : Algorithm

Tiphaine Germaneau : Floating Gate

In Kyong Lee : Half Bow

Thea Dejligbjerg Djurhuus : Intimacies

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Postface : Viki Noorman Kert

Preface

Thank you for a special image of a moment. An image that bears witness of hours of concentration and insistence. I met you and your projects a month before your graduation at the Glass and Ceramic department at the Royal Danish Academy on Bornholm. You were deeply engrossed in the process. You were at the point when you are most vulnerable. When your hands are ahead of your brain. When an experimental and examining approach to the material, the craftsmanship, and the process may lead you astray. When the difficult choices have to be made and the image of the moment must be captured. When ceramicist Niels Lauersen was teaching he often said: “If you do not make a choice, you will end up with nothing”. A simple and wise sentence that I hereby pass on to you. You belong to a generation of craft-makers and designers with the courage of will. You want to embrace the whole world with your art. You possess humility combined with a non- authoritarian approach to the historic context of our time. You are in a constant dialogue with the traditions of craftsmanship of which you are rounded. You have been working and practicing so hard with a specific material, that you have achieved the professional ability to make deliberate and conscious decisions during the working process and to produce sensuous and aesthetic expressions. You have been isolated physically on an island as well as isolated as a generation. You have been expected to be responsible, patient and to put your lives on pause. This may be the reason why this year you deliver great physical works, and works with strong social messages and beautiful philosophical considerations. It is a finale with something on its mind. All the works are relevant and shout out loud. Some contain a direct wildness, an in your face insisting attitude. All works stand out by shouting very loudly or quietly –each with their own powerful voice. Works that contain presence, poetry and a sensuousness originating from the material and a language of form that flirts with the sublime. Thank you for a finale that points in many directions and unfolds the potential and the maker’s right of existence. You are thinking aloud with your hands and you have the courage to challenge prevailing aesthetics and the spectator. An exhibition that leaves room for reflection and wonder. It is impressive that a generation can live on an island in the midst of nowhere and be able to offer global vibrations that point to the future!

Vinni Hedegaard Frederiksen Ceramicist

An Ode

Maria Kildahl Mathiasen

Maria Kildahl Mathiasen I design functional tableware with the history of pottery in mind. What excites me is being a part of the long tradition of creating tableware on the throwing wheel. Exploring the history of tea drinking I have sought to combine, these time honoured traditions with my own interpretation of a contemporary tea set. The traditional tea set is recognized by its details and decorations. My aim is to incorporate aesthetics with functionality in order that the decoration enhances the experience of tea drinking. My intention for the tea set is for it to become a beloved element of the users everyday life, as well as special occasions, facilitating the right atmosphere for a delightful cup of tea and a delicious cake.

maria.km@live.dk / @mkm_keramik

Kenophobia

Jasmin Franko

Jasmin Franko ”Nature abhors an empty space” - Aristotle Kenophobia refers to the fear of voids and empty spaces. In visual arts it relates to Horror Vacui – “the fear of emptiness” as the direct translation from Latin. Horror Vacui is considered a stylistic tendency in art, where the response is to fill out the entire surface of an artwork with excessive detail. The tendency spans all the way back to Mesopotamian times. I find it interesting to investigate this psychological drive, and the material within it. Kenophobia is a triad of oversized excessively painted heads. In their materiality they embody horror vacui, on one level in terms of their surface, in another though, as empty clay vessels. Synthesis and decomposure. This suspense and tension open a dialogue which I find intrinsic to how we deal with life and death.

Jasminfranko@gmail.com / @jasminfranko

Preserve

Annamaria Margareth Hartvig-Clausen

Annamaria Margareth Hartvig-Clausen My intention is to make functional art, creating work which generates emotion and thought, inviting for my objects to be used and cared for. I believe the combination of both functional and aesthetic values are the way to make someone fall in love with, and therefore continually use and value an object. Glass is such a diverse material with properties that enable one to create something long-lasting. It takes many resources to refine and work glass. But if we use it right, its durability and ability to be reused makes it very sustainable. I am often inspired by the challenges we stumble upon and must face as part of being in this world. Currently I work with the intention of bringing nature inside the home in the form of functional objects, in hope that the interaction will be a reminder of the importance of the environment. For us – but more so for all the other beings we share this earth with.

ameshc@outlook.dk / @ameshcglass

The End of theWorld is Silent

Nathalie Cohn

Nathalie Cohn Paradoxically, I had decided that the theme of this project should be about the end of the world already in January, prior to the lockdown in March 2020. Then, it all of a sudden actually happened as a tiny and almost invisible microorganism entered Europe and anesthetized society as we know it. In order to save lives, life was put on hold. All there was left was silence. Through the interplay between strict, geometric compositions and the fluid, organic colour explosions, I aim to express the invisible and internal sense of violation that we have all suffered throughout this time. The abstractions built from triangular shapes contrast with the glazes and this contrast underlines the tension between control and something uncontrollable, which is the essence in how we balance ourselves on the edge of this time.

nathalie.cohn@outlook.dk / @nathalie_cohn

My Materials, My Tools, My Components, My Collaborative Partner

Hanna Torvik

Hanna Torvik Beneath our feet lies the raw materials. Clay, granite, quarts, sand and feldspar. These are my materials. The potter’s wheel is an important tool for me. The potential of this tool moves beyond a functional outcome. I want to expand the perception of this specific technique. I throw, I deconstruct with a tool, I fire, I glaze and I build with these components. The technique leaves a delicate imprint from the thrown components. Glaze melts around 1300 degrees, becoming the liquid glue, that connects the thrown components, into delicate objects. Clay becomes soft like caramel in the high temperatures; moving and deforming. The firing is a transformation characterized by unpredictability. I place my constructed objects in the kiln, but cannot fully predict the result after firing. The kiln is my collaborative partner, in shaping the ceramic objects, and giving them their final form and expression. The final unique ceramic pieces are the direct result of materials, tools, components and heat.

hanna.torvik@gmail.com / @hanna.torvik

Ego

Laura Godsk Vestergaard

Laura Godsk Vestergaard As a ceramicist, I have always been interested in the magic of stories – they are our emotional connection to each other and a way for us to understand the world around us. Storytelling has transcended through generations while some are made a minute ago. For more than 25.000 years ceramic has been a vital vehicle to these narratives. I would like to follow these traditions of storytelling through my own voice and ceramic art. Ego displays my own exploration of the psychological aspects of the self-image – Who do we really see in our reflection? What is our personal narrative of ourselves? Is it accurate? My works first come alive when they meet and interact with their many narrators: the audience. I create these magical universes that interrelate our world through tactility and materiality, where I hope to spark the audiences imagination and allow them go on an adventure in both their mind and body.

Laura_godsk@icloud.com / @lauragodskv

Internal Framework

Signe Boisen

Signe Boisen I see power in the inherent identity of ceramics as a craft which has existed for thousands of years. The process behind the craft demands the same patience and presence today as it did all those years ago. The processing of raw materials stands in great contrast to the fast-developing technological age my generation was shaped by, which is exactly why we need it. My work is an investigation of the ceramic vessel – arguably the most common object crafted in clay. With my starting point, the classic shape of the vessel, I have endeavoured to explore dimensions and abstractions, through a non-traditional technique, challenging the natural properties of clay. The inherent function of the vessel is gone, all that is left is the internal framework. The objects become images of objects.

hello@signeboisen.dk / @signe_boisen

Un/spoken

Josephine Alberthe Molter

Josephine Alberthe Molter We are bound to each other through language. Similarly, language is a prerequisite for us to approximate and understand the world. The language of the body is different from the language of the spoken word, both more basic and more complex. These two languages are mutually dependent on each other. Therefore, the exchange between them is critical for the development of the self. The sculpture is an object that provides resistance and which reminds us of our meeting with the world. It uses a language that speaks to our bodies - marks us as bodies. It is naive to believe we master all languages equally. We primarily operate through navigation. In this navigation an attendance of presence arises which can be both perishable and seductive.

josephinealberthe@gmail.com / @josephinealberthe

Our Eternal Body

Sara Vinderslev Mirkhani

Sara Vinderslev Mirkhani Life is circular and interconnected, transforming from one body to another. As living organisms, we are bound to the eternal cycle of change. From body to ash, ash to soil, soil to earth. Our Eternal Body establishes on the interconnection between the material of earth, clay where it represents as a metaphor by using the container as a symbol of the body. At the same time, it implies how our body can literally enter the realm of clay in the form of dust. The distance between us and the clay now starts to dissolve, as one day we will turn to dust ourselves.

sara@mirkhani.dk / @saramirkhani

Vases Communicant

Armel Desrues

Armel Desrues I work with glass to create objects that are exploring the space between functional and sculptural form by revisiting the infinite potential of traditional skills. Through allusion, experimentation and reconstruction my goal is to expand the perception of the material values and the material culture of glass. Vases Communicant is an installation where I address the museology mode of display by invoking the work of the 20th century venetian architect, Carlo Scarpa. Through the lens of Scarpa’s boundless body of work I have investigated the properties of glass and the potential of compositions. By re-visiting the values that drove his work, I gain a deeper understanding, allowing me the possibility to explore how his mindset is still relevant in this century.

armelglass@gmail.com / @armeldesrues

The Only Constant is Change

Clara Rudbeck Toksvig

Clara Rudbeck Toksvig In the ocean capsules exist. Capsules where artifacts have been concealed throughout centuries. Here time exists on another premise, as artifacts do not perish on the same condition as on land. Ceramic is a material that moves towards the imperishable. The only constant is change consists of 2 large ceramic vessels. Each vessel contains a series of sculptures, all of which are fragments of various ornaments. Ornaments are highly associative artifacts and have recurred continuously. The sculptures can be read as the narratives we carry with us through artifacts. The installation shows a reflection on time and what significance the perception of time has for our and artifacts’ existence. Most artifacts will outlive us. Each artifact depicts a narrative about us. The imperishable and perishable are seen as each other’s opposites, but maybe they can also exist in a symbiosis.

clara.tok@hotmail.com / @claratoksvig

Algorithm

Maren Gammelgaard Aaserud

Maren Gammelgaard Aaserud I work with patterns and surface as a way of shaping the properties of my objects. This is achieved through investigative work within the properties and qualities of different materials in clay. My process is driven by my fascination of clay’s innumerable possibilities for form and expression. We as a society today, are influenced by algorithms that are created to keep our attention. Cookies that make sure we see what we want to see. We no longer seek knowledge; We are served the obvious. We are no longer critical, because something or someone else does it for us. There is a chaos of systems which no one has control over. Who is responsible? The internet is an illusion, and we take it as a reality. We have a constructed perception of the world, and we have never been more apart. ”Algorithm” is a visual interpretation of complicated data algorithms. The inspiration from the algorithms systematic uniformity, is transformed through my body into the ancient material clay.

hello@marenaaserud.art / @maren.aaserud

Floating Gate

Tiphaine Germaneau

Tiphaine Germaneau Why do we install decorations on our walls ? As a starting point for my creations, this question brings forth the theme of human behavior. The wall is a symbol for separation and boundaries, but also protection. Through my work, I wish to explore how to awaken and stimulate the mind in order to question our physical environment. Working with glass fusing allows me to harness the fluid propertie of glass, using it as a liquid medium to capture the moment. I’m creating a frozen artefact/artifact? which represents movement and expansion. Floating gate is a way to emphasize glass materiality and it also aims to be an installation that encourages imagination.

tiphaine.germaneau@sfr.fr / @tiftif_0

Half Bow

In Kyong Lee

In Kyong Lee “What would I do?” is a question I love to ask. Every human is his own singularity. Irreplaceable. Absolutely unique. You observe, learn and grow to coexist in a society. Exciting opportunities await. On the other side of living in harmony, lies the challenges of knowing oneself in the truest form. Fear, timidity and laziness prevent you from thriving. But if you are shown a way to tend your insecurities, you can transform your weakness into your strength. This transformation allows you to embrace diversity and differences when meeting with others. In every Half Bow, I have carefully folded in my best wish for you to find your true self. It welcomes and cherishes all the uncertainties and agitations you might face in your journey of being you.

hello@jiin.dk / @jiin.dk

Intimacies

Thea Dejligbjerg Djurhuus

Thea Dejligbjerg Djurhuus My work is an investigation into human relations and intimacy manifested in ceramic sculptures. In the shapes created, I see a storyline on how they struggle, how they care, how they comfort each other and how they are pulling away. I see strength and vulnerability, I see movement, growth and attraction. In our society we have normalized the idea of superior relations. Often the romantic relationship - cis, hetero and monogamous - the boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, is valued more. We understand everything in a binary context - nature vs. culture, masculine vs. feminine. Why is that? This hierarchical structure is so rooted in our society that we almost don’t see it. It influences the way we perceive and socially validate each other. I strive to understand myself and my surroundings through anything but normative assumptions, anything but normative ideals - anything but the concept of normativity.

theadejlig@gmail.com / @thea_djrhs

Postface

Successful careers are not “planned”. Successful careers are developed by preparing for opportunities Managing oneself, Peter F. Drucker

It is my belief that the pursuit of excellence in the field of craft allows for the creation of connections between human and material, both significant and essential. Through your education you have developed the skills and knowledge to create these special moments of sensuous presence, meeting the viewer or user in their everyday lives. I have seen you develop work, based on your own universe, where your personal artistic expression has challenged traditions, pushing towards your own unique material vision for the future. Working in depth with, and creating, artistic and experimental work, for you it has been the curiosity about the material itself, the workshops being the central focus and laboratory for your personal, creative journey. As a group you present a diversity of themes and expressions that contribute to the continued development of the field of craft, taking on a variety of themes and aesthetic preferences. At the Royal Danish Academy on Bornholm, we have endeavored to create the best possible study frame for your development. Challenging you, with difficult questions which where not only based on “yes or no” but were often left open. Such is the world in which the contemporary maker finds themselves, for it is in this middle ground where the possibility for future development lies. I would encourage you to use the international network you have established during your time here at school as well as the many contacts and collaborations you have made with the craftspeople here on Bornholm. I, as well as the whole team on Bornholm, have been immensely impressed with your focus, despite a very challenging academic year. Throughout this time of uncertainty, you have shown us, strength, and readiness for change, and not least a very strong sense of unity and community. Despite these unprecedented challenges, you have had the great task of completing your bachelor project, bringing your own artistic vision into being - At the same time as the world around you, your families and loved ones were in deep crisis. Regarding these challenges, you have my deepest respect. Be entrepreneurial, capitalising on your newly made business strategies. I believe in your bright futures, many of which have already begun to take shape. I just know that the whole world will be your future workplace in so many different contexts. I look forward to following you all. The very best of luck from me to you. See you out there.

Viki Daily Leader - Crafts in Glass and Ceramics

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Thank you : 15. Juni Fonden Augustinus Fonden Beckett-Fonden Frimodt-Heineke Fonden Martha og Paul Kerrn-Jespersens Fond Gurli og Paul Madsens fond William Demant Fonden Otto Bruuns Fond Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond Sparekassen Bornholms Fond Dansk Tennis Fond

Photography : Kirstine Autzen

Art direction and Graphic design : Rasmus Kvist Media

Print : Clemens Trykkeriet

Crafts in Glass and Ceramics