Mette-Maya Gregersen

The idea of motion is a constant throughout the work of Danish ceramicist Mette Maya Gregersen. Her extraordinary ability to capture the continuous and ever-changing idea of the moment demands an unflagging ability to evolve and adapt. She is clearly fascinated by the power of the wave and its continuous movement and evolution. Her sculptural ceramics radiate the same energy and rhythms as the ephemeral waves she so successfully captures.

Gregersen works in two distinct ways: one is by making waves—both figuratively and actually. The other is a carefully delineated and measured construction technique. For waves, bamboo strips and other organic fibers achieve the complex curves and movement she seeks. Then wet stoneware is molded around these shapes. When the fibers burn away during firing, they leave behind a wave-like memory, a solid fragment of something fluid and ephemeral.

Her mastery of materials is clearly demonstrated by her ability to repeatedly glaze and fire a work until it speaks with the voice she requires. Multiple firing is always a high-risk activity for an artist with anything less than extraordinary skills and understanding of her materials. Under her hands and eyes, conflicts and questions inherent in moist clay resolve themselves into forms that embody a profoundly sensual balance and unity.

A wave reflects constant movement over time, demonstrating that nothing can remain the same. This is work about movement and how we relate to the distribution of its energy. Dane Mette Maya Gregersen was born in 1973 and trained as a potter. She also spent five years working in France before moving to England. She earned her BA in Ceramics at Camberwell College of Arts in the UK and an MA in Art Therapy at Sheffield University. She now lives and works in Denmark.

#Influences