KURT KNUDSEN/en

The purpose of Kurt Knudsens ceramic art is to present items of beauty and at the same time, give a sense of both  simplicity and complexity.
Most of his work are vessels. A vessel is both a sculpture and a functional item in one. Often, there is a reference to the organic structure of pollen and microorganisms as seen in the scanning electron microscope. The geometric forms and wheel thrown curves are combined with the phenomenon of moving glaze that is captured during the firing, which adds a sense of chance and create sensual surfaces with a dynamic duality between form and surface

To him, working with ceramics is a fantastic and ideal combination of several things he love: Visual art, craft, physics, chemistry, engineering and computer science. Often, his works are designed or visualized in 3D computer programs. Likewise, all his glazes are mixed from minerals and oxides in his studio with help from glaze chemistry software.

He manipulate sheets of clay, wheel-thrown and cast elements, to geometric vessels. He explains: “It’s a fascinating challenge trying to balance the forces of gravity, the softness and plasticity of the clay, the chemistry of the glazes and the physics of pyrotechnics – the transformation from mud to works of art in the kiln, solidifying into luminous formations.”

Kurt Knudsen have been a doctor for more than 30 years, the last 25 as a doctor in a busy intensive care unit and as a prehospital emergency fast response physician. Making ceramics, makes him relax and think of nothing else, yet at the same time use his knowledge of physics and chemistry – it takes time and goes slow…