ELIZABETH DEGENSZEJN & NICKLAS DENNERMALM
ARTISTS EXPLORING THE DUALITY OF PORCELAIN
Born in Brazil to parents from Poland and Egypt, designer Elizabeth Degenszejn’s work has a preoccupation with identity and personal expression. These are born from observations in her family home of how identity was somewhat boxed, rather than exhibited
Her porcelain pieces play with finding fluidity and movement around the base shape of a square. The combination of the underlying fixed format with the liberation in the bends and ribboning shapes create a beguiling contradiction in white and black.
Her collection, named Squares, forms part of this year’s Cluster Craft’s digital exhibition and shop. The pieces are pure in form and geometric in shape, and yet they erupt into abstract forms.
“My inspirations come from my desire to free myself from the rigidity of having to conform, which were values of my upbringing.”
For many years Degenszejn pursued a career in marketing, only turning to clay when she became a mother.
“I only really started playing with clay when my son was born, 20 years ago, as a way of dealing with post-partum depression. It quickly became a passion,” explains Degenszejn.
“Squares are porcelain sculptures that draw upon my struggles between confinement and liberation. They stretch the geometric limitations of the square transforming its rigid properties to express movement and freedom. Through the making, I distort, bend and twist the walls to create fluid, open-form abstract sculptures.”
On certain twists in the pieces, you can see light passing through the thin porcelain. The transparency of the material gives an impression of fragility. Certainly, part of the appeal of porcelain to Degenszejn is this appearance of delicacy, which can be achieved with very thin slabs that actually remain remarkable strong.
YOU CAN BUY ELIZABETH DEGENSZEJN’S SQUARE SERIES THOUGH OUR ONLINE SHOP
Also working with porcelain, Swedish designer Nicklas Dennermalm creates monochromatic works from his Stockholm-based studio.
Dennermalm’s collection Brutal Porcelain is inspired by the architectural movement with which it shares its name. Brutalism was popular in the 1960s and 70s, and its buildings comprise a series of concrete monoliths.
Dennermalm’s concerns about our modern, throw-away culture also influence his work, drawing him to the functionalist philosophies of the Brutalists.
“We throw away a cup because of a tea stain,” he explains. “By applying brutalism to everyday objects, I aspire to make things that will last. Not because they are hand-made or made from dashing porcelain, but because they are brutal.
“The brutal imperfectness of the pieces invites the user to forgive; to forgive cracks, stains and ware. And instead of throwing them away, the user can once again fill the vessels with flowers, ink or tea. Or find a whole new purpose for it.”
Dennermalm enjoys the medium of porcelain because of the duality of the material. Beautiful, fragile-seeming and yet robust and ubiquitous.
“It is both this mystical, ancient, opulent material which can be transformed into beautiful pieces, but also the material of toilets and mass-produced mugs from IKEA. Ceramics can be broken in a second or last for thousands of years.”
Simple in shape, Dennermalm’s work has elements of minimalism. He hopes in the coming year to explore and develop the theme of tea.
Thank you for reading,
Katie De Klee & Cluster Team.