GLAZED CONCRETE – RESIDENCY AT – GULDAGERGÅRD 2010

DEVELOPING SPECIFIC CERAMIC GLAZED CONCRETE – AND INVESTIGATING DETAILS IN RELATION TO
FORM AND SURFACE – GLAZES AND JOINTS

SIX MONTH ARTIST IN RESIDENCY

In 2010, I stepped away from the structured realm of the Technical University of Denmark and immersed myself in a
different kind of knowledge—one that is silent, tactile, and deeply intuitive. My six-month artist residency at
Guldagergård, the International Ceramic Research Center, became a pivotal chapter in my journey.

HANDS ON SHAPING

Here, in the quiet communion of hands shaping clay, I encountered the profound language of ceramics—its nuances of
form and surface, its delicate balance between control and unpredictability. Among artists experimenting at the
intersection of material and expression, I observed a ritual both humbling and revealing: the kiln opening. Each time,
anticipation met reality—some pieces survived, others fractured, teaching me that failure is an intrinsic part of
creation. It was in these moments that I understood the critical role of fracture mechanics in developing
large-scale ceramic-glazed concrete.

LIGHT-SPACE AND FORM

Yet my exploration was not solely technical. I was drawn to the architectural
dialogue between sculpture and space—the way light plays upon surfaces, the rhythm of form, the tension between
structure and abstraction. I sought to merge ceramic sensibilities with architectural elements, testing the
interplay of white stoneware glazes on concrete, refining techniques to transform two-dimensional cast plates into
three-dimensional sculptural expressions.

EXCHANGE

Guldagergård is more than a residency; it is a crossroads where scientific inquiry, artistic exploration, and
craftsmanship converge. One of only eight ceramic centers of its kind in the world, it offers state-of-the-art
facilities, Scandinavia’s largest kiln yard, and an extensive collection of contemporary ceramics. It is a
place of exchange, where communal wood-firings, artist talks, and exhibitions weave a shared narrative of
discovery.

FUNDED BY:
The Danish Artcouncil
Fonden Realdania

PHOTOS: OLE AKHØJ.
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* All photos by Ole Akhøj.