My artistic practice is based on a black clay originating from Spain. Intrigued by its richness in oxides and minerals- distorting every attempt at glazing thus creating a profound foundation built on chance inspiring me to pursue further.

Coming from a background of traditional painting, ceramics appeared as an opportunity to explore an area where I had very few or no preconceptions or role models within the field. I could start from scratch, finding an expression and narrative through tedious work and time-consuming techniques- eventually finding a rhythm when submitting to the nature of the clay and letting traditional methods of crafting become part of the expression.

Starting out with organic shapes covered with layers of structures in manly black or white, balancing between method and expression as well as chans and control- where the last object made, inspires the next.

I’m constantly returning to nature- observing natures persistent adjustments to reclaim its positions after human interference and doing so without vanity or intentional aestheticvalues.

My work is strongly affected by the sense of urgency in a world built on fragile political systems lead by erratic and volatile leaders and how that reflects in popular culture as a preparation for the big apocalypse.

My recent work consist of layers upon layers of glazes fired several times in different temperatures adding an extra dimension of painting to the objects. The work is more depicting as I move further away from the abstract and decorative- reconnecting to a long tradition of animals and entities in historyof art and craft.

 Carl Richard Söderström is represented at Musee de Sevres in Paris, The Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg and the Swedish National Museum of Art in Stockholm.