CHARLOTTE NIELSEN

"Charlotte Nielsen is a Danish ceramic artist working with sculptural vessels based on Nordic prehistoric jar archetypes. Her practice centres on structure, repetition and material transformation, moving the vessel from functional object toward autonomous form.

Nielsen works with hand-built stoneware and red clay, combined with an experimental approach to raku firing. The vessels are removed from the kiln while red-hot and placed in sawdust, where reduction, fire and smoke create unpredictable surface effects. Surface treatment with copper carbonate produces deep, iron-like tones in red, brown, black-grey and muted turquoise. The surfaces appear oxidised and tactile, oscillating between ceramic and corroded metal. 

To create structure and vitality in the surface, Nielsen works layer upon layer with clay in different stages of dryness. This stratified method is essential to the raw and animated character of the works.