Morten Løbner Espersen — Vessel #2543, Vessel #2545
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Vessel #2543 and Vessel #2545 speak to an ongoing exploration by ceramist Morten Løbner Espersen into both the simplicity and complexity of his practice. Built on the classic silhouette of an open vessel, these latest works present how Espersen’s use of glaze can dramatically alter the character of his objects – while #2543 drips with a vibrant orange glaze, greeting variations of white and grey, #2545 presents a more earthy final form complete with a cracked black surface. Created from wheel-thrown stoneware, the repetitious act of creation is contrasted with the unpredictability of Espersen’s use of glaze, with every object both a known quantity and a total surprise.
Material and dimensions:
Vessel #2543.
Stoneware, Glaze.
45 x 45 x 47cm.
Vessel #2545.
Stoneware, Glaze.
40 x 40 x 51cm.
Year:
2024
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Benjamin Lund
LONG DESCRIPTION:
As the title of the work suggest, Vessel #2543 and Vessel #2545 are just the latest iterations in a long line of salutations by Morten Løbner Espersen towards one of the most iconic ceramic forms in art history. The repetition of the vessel allows Espersen’s body of work to contain a sense of harmony, with each individual object building on the next in a continuous study of form and finish. With the ability to compare and contrast, the consistency in form allows a more detailed inspection of the subtle nuance and detail that provide each object its own character. Each body of work is allowed time to rest, with Espersen assessing how he will glaze and finish each work through a process of slow examination. His use of glaze is both scientific yet intuitive, forgoing the total control that comes with his decades of mastering his craft. Instead, Espersen celebrates the opening of the kiln as a moment of wonder and exploration – never quite knowing what will emerge.
DESIGNER BIO:
Morten Løbner Espersen.
Ceramist, born 1965.
Working from The Clay Hotel on Copenhagen’s harbour side suburb of Islands Brygge, the body of work of Danish ceramist Morten Løbner Espersen represents a mastering of his preferred medium, yet the unpredictability in how he finishes each piece. Combining the elements of clay and an almost excessive use of glaze, Espersen’s work is rich in texture and colour. A repetitive use of forms – from conventional cylinders, jars and vessels, to structures that appear alien-like, allows his mixture of glazes to instil an individual personality on to each object. His work balances the familiar with the unexpected, allowing the user to approach his work with both a sense of intimacy and of the exotic.
EDUCATION:
2011: Professor, HDK-Valand Academy of Art and Design, Gothenburg, Sweden.
1992: MA, Ceramics, Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen, Denmark.
1990: Diploma, École University of Applied Arts, Duperré, Paris, France.
GRANTS & HONOURS:
2024: Member, Board of Representatives, Danish National Banks Jubilee foundation of 1968, Denmark.
2017: Member, Board of Representatives, Danish Arts Foundation, Denmark.
1995: Artist in Residence, The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan.
EXHIBITIONS:
2023: Solo Exhibition, Triumph and Catastrophe, CLAY, Middelfart, Denmark.
2022: Solo Exhibition, Amplexum, Avlskarl Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2021: Solo Exhibition, Triumph and Catastrophe, Kunstmuseum, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
2021: Solo Exhibition, Forbidden Fruit, Princessehof, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
2012: Solo Exhibition, Horror Vacui, Trapholt, Kolding, Denmark.
1997: Solo Exhibitiuon, Galleri Björnen, Stockholm, Sweden.
COLLECTIONS:
2017: V&A Museum, London, England.
2016: Design Museum Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2008: MAD, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA.
2005: Beumans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
1996: Clay Ceramic Museum, Middelfart, Denmark.
COMMISSIONS:
2003: Hillerød Municipal Library, Danish Art Foundation, Hillerød, Denmark.
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INSTAGRAM: