From Utility to Expression

About the Artist

Charlotte Nielsen is a Danish ceramicist known for her sculptural ceramics fired using the raku technique, exploring the contrast between the organic and the mechanical. Inspired by the decay of industrial pieces—rust, porosity, erosion—her work merges masculine and feminine qualities within a raw and minimalist aesthetic.
“My inspiration comes from cultural archetypes and the degeneration of machine parts. I look at the artifacts of primitive civilizations; I am drawn to their simplicity and, at the same time, the depth they convey. A hallmark of my work is clean lines and simple silhouettes.”
Rooted in a profound connection to nature and culture, her ceramics reflect an aesthetic shaped by the rough textures of the Nordic landscape, echoing the irregular beauty of natural materials. The work carries a quiet strength: grounded in tradition yet open to experimentation.

She draws inspiration from ancient Nordic vessels and everyday tableware, though her approach is often modern or experimental. This interplay between history and innovation is central to the identity of her ceramic practice.

Nielsen is fascinated by the moment when clay begins to resemble corroded metal, mimicking the appearance of oxidation. She forms most of her pieces on the wheel to create basic shapes, then builds on them by hand, layering clay at different stages of dryness. She works with a Western-adapted raku technique: pieces are fired in a gas kiln at temperatures between 980–1000 °C, then placed in a metal drum filled with sawdust. As they cool, the surfaces reveal deep reds, browns, charcoal grays, and bluish nuances etched into the blackened clay. Fire, central to the raku process, leaves unpredictable marks that transform each piece into a unique, contemporary object carrying the traces of time and culture.