The tactile is a major part of the way Lærke Ryom interacts with the world and grounds her practice. “I use my hands a lot, and it is also through my hands that I understand the world. Although my practice and aesthetic will evolve, I think I will continue to make sensuous objects.”

The Offcut Collection of wooden objects, presented in Ark Kollekt 01, explores the aesthetics of end grain from Douglas fir, a by-product from the flooring production of Danish company, Dinesen. Ryom works with the width and sizes determined by the production, developing rhythmic shapes referencing the patterns that appear when stacking and offsetting the wood and paying tribute to the natural ornamentation of the grain. “Both shape and ornament thereby originate from the material itself, offering a new aesthetic perspective and experience of the familiar material.”