Carl Emil Jacobsen — Poly Powder (Lip Tub)
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Poly Powder (Lip Tub) by artist and designer Carl Emil Jacobsen grew out of the dissonance between the natural tones of the Jutlandic landscape, and the store bought pigments he was using within his projects. Utilising local stones and bricks sourced from heaths, fields, beaches and demolished buildings, pigments reminiscent of terracotta and earthy pink have been applied to organic forms constructed from fibre concrete, steel and mesh. The two shapes that form the piece have been created in order to display the nuances of these natural pigments as their flowing shapes dip in and out of natural light. Combined with the large scale of the work, the sculpture requires the audience to walk around, up to, and look inside to engage fully with its shifting tones and textures.
Material and dimensions:
Acrylic, fibre concrete, polystyrene, steel, pigments from crushed brick, marble and chalk.
170cm x 170cm x 75cm
Year:
2021
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Anders Sune Berg
VIDEOGRAPHY BY:
Benjamin Lund
LONG DESCRIPTION:
Poly Powder (Lip Tub) forms part of an ongoing study into the origins of colour within the sculptural work of Carl Emil Jacobsen. For the past seven to eight years he has embraced the context of his local surroundings within the east coast of the Danish mainland – sourcing local pigments from stones and locally produced bricks and building materials. Producing all of his work by hand within his studio, this commitment to locality forms the basis of a practice rooted within its context. While colour and texture are direct results of his detailed research into local materials, the forms he applies his materials to are born from intuition and the process of creation within the workshop – seeking out forms and shapes that promote an emotional connection with the audience. Poly Powder (Lip Tub) balances notions of expression with forms that highlight the unique tonal values of the pigments, and the texture of the applied material. A circular outer form encases the pink internal ‘lips’ – appearing to float, their puckered centre creates dimensionality that plays with light and shadow. Tipped on its side rather than laid flat, the orientation of the piece encourages interaction with the viewer, providing the ability to delve into each crack and crevice.
DESIGNER BIO:
Carl Emil Jacobsen
Artist and designer, born 1987.
The work of artist and designer Carl Emil Jacobsen starts with intuitive examinations of materials and the technical properties they posses. The tones and textures of his sculptural works are heavily influenced by his location on the east coast of the Danish mainland – combining bespoke pigments from local clay and stone with concrete and plaster, resulting in a malleable composite with the ability to form into new shapes and expressions. Conceptually his practice is built around the iterative nature of process, allowing experiments in form and materiality to dictate his final objects and future projects. Constantly searching for new expressions within his practice, Jacobsen combines drawing and hands-on production with new materials, such as steel and wood. His final objects are textural and sensuous in nature – inviting physical interaction with the audience. The approachability of these forms also extends into their conceptual makeup, deliberately ambiguous to allow personal responses and associations from the audience.
EDUCATION:
2012: Cand. Design, Design School Kolding, Kolding, Denmark.
GRANTS AND HONOURS:
2021: Honorary grant, Ole Haslunds Artists Foundation, Denmark.
2021: Project grant, Denmark’s Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond of 1968, Denmark.
2021: Project grant, Knud Højgaards Foundation, Denmark.
2021: Project grant, The Bodil Pedersen Foundation, Denmark.
2020: Artistic Elite Grant Program, The Danish Arts Foundation, Denmark.
2020: Project grant, The Beckett Foundation, Denmark.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2022: Group Show, Fictions, Peach Corner, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2021: Solo Show, Comb a Hairy Doughnut Flat, Overgaden, Copenhagen, Denmark
2021: Group Show, A New Realism, Friedman Benda, New York, USA.
2019: Group Show, Crafted Matter, Cheongju International Craft Biennale, South Korea.
2019: Group Show, Ceramic Momentum, CLAY Ceramic Museum, Middelfart, Denmark.
2018: Solo Show, Don’t Know What Shape I’m In, Patrick Parrish Gallery, New York, USA.
2018: Group Show, About Clay, Fiskars, Finland.
2017: Solo Show, Terrain, Galerie Maria Wettergren, Paris, France.
2017: Group Show, Domestic Appeal, part III, Chamber Gallery, New York, USA.
Selected Collections:
Designmuseum Danmark, Denmark.
The Danish Arts Foundation Collection, Denmark.
Selected Commissions:
2019: Marienborg, The Office of the Prime Minister, Denmark.
2018: Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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