Mårten Medbo 2022

May 12 - June 18, 2022

117 rue Vieille du Temple 75003 Paris

Taxonomy What was it about wheel-throwing? Of course, this was something I had to investigate and I gave myself a framework to keep within. I gave my self the task to make throwing the key component in my artistic practice.The series of works I now present is a stop on the way during this ongoing exploration The themes I explore alongside the exploration of the artistic potential of throwing is of a philosophical nature. It can be said to be about the self-perception of modern man.  It is about how human curiosity in the modern world is expressed. How humanity systematizes, collects and dissects and classifies and makes available with the ultimate goal of mastering the world for their own purposes.

Taxonomy

What was it about wheel-throwing? Of course, this was something I had to investigate and I gave myself a framework to keep within. I gave my self the task to make throwing the key component in my artistic practice.The series of works I now present is a stop on the way during this ongoing exploration

The themes I explore alongside the exploration of the artistic potential of throwing is of a philosophical nature. It can be said to be about the self-perception of modern man.  It is about how human curiosity in the modern world is expressed. How humanity systematizes, collects and dissects and classifies and makes available with the ultimate goal of mastering the world for their own purposes.

As for the throwing my primary purpose is not to master the world. It is more about what can be done within the framework I have given myself? What special opportunities does throwing offer? In Taxonomy, gravity is clearly visibly. My way of working allows me to expose my objects to gravity in their plastic, newly thrown state. I simply hang them up when they are still soft. The objects can then continue to hang during the glaze firing, which means that the glazes enhance the gravitational expression as well.

In this series, I have chosen to work in a limited color scale in black and white.

The objects are made of stoneware. They are expressive and inspired by nature. I am seeking for the point where disgust meets with temptation where you both are repelled and attracted.

 

Background

My way into pottery was through apprenticeship at a pottery. This means that wheel-throwing has been central to both my understanding of the ceramic field in general and my own understanding of myself as a ceramicist. But for a long period I stopped using wheel-throwing in my practice because I thought it was difficult to implement the technique based on my artistic ambitions. I had moved away from the ceramic tradition where throwing is the center. But even though I did not see any artistic potential in the technique, I kept throwing. But I did it “secretly” and did not show anything in public.

As a doctoral student in the field of artistic research, I became interested in my own relationship to wheel-throwing. Why did I not see any artistic opportunity in the craft I mastered the best and which I devoted the most effort to learning? And why did I still continue to throw “secretly” despite this attitude?

The answer to the first question is about my artistic self-understanding. I saw wheel-throwing primarily as a way of manufacturing potts without any artistic potential outside that context. The answer to the second question is that the craft practice itself is meaningful. Among other things, it is a place for meditative reflection and it also seems to be able to alleviate my general anxiety.

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Past Exhibition

Mårten Medbo 2022

Taxonomy

May 12 - June 18, 2022

117 rue Vieille du Temple 75003 Paris