Theis Lorentzen

The aesthetic of my work highlights and exposes the process of making.

                                            “Foreign”

Based on a cheap and sentimental ceramic ornament from the past, with only “foreign”  stamped on it’s base as identification. 

Looking at its innocent appearance and it’s almost forgotten nature, I tell a new story so it is looked upon in a new light. Through resizing and leaving the marks from the process, a contradictory tale of neglect and decay is set against one of glorification.

My work is concerned primarily with a range of processes involved in ceramic production. I want to reveal theseprocessesand leave visible traces of making for the viewer to see and contemplate.  The qualities achieved through scanning, CNC milling and mould making are accentuated through the application of glaze and colour. The seams left in place on the work are intended to show an integrity of production and reveal the journey in which the objects came to life.

In these works I am celebrating these beautiful qualities that sit comfortably with other types of handmade ceramic tradition in which the traces of the making are left visible and celebrated.

The delicate glazing accentuates the industrial marks and creates an artificial light source which goes hand in hand with the manufactured processes.

                                                        “Remnant”

I am exploring a variety of aspects of the beauty of clay and its transformation into ceramic material. The viscous nature of the glaze is used to accentuate the edges, pool in hollows and form drips. The work explores the qualities of the material and aims to expose and engage the viewer with the remnant qualities of clay; the offcuts and discarded pieces that are often overlooked from other processes such as carving or slab building.

The clay is cut straight from the bag with a wire cutter leaving indelible marks in the slabs. They are subsequently thrown down confidently to create a composition.  Significantly, there is never an attempt to adjust or undo a move once it is made, only to balance the composition with the next slab. The overall process of construction is never interfered with and embraces an element of chance.