Clay – That’s Life!
Erik Veistrup’s Collection
14th of November 2020 – 12th of September 2021
This exhibition offers a delightful ceramic walk through more than 100 years of Danish ceramic art in the company of Erik Veistrup.
Erik Veistrup has collected art all his life. As a young teacher he purchases his first ceramic items in 1970 and has ever since added new works to the continually expanding collection. When his home in Kastrup is reaching its bursting point, Erik Vejstrup decides to share out his huge art collection. Many paintings are donated to carefully chosen art museums across the whole country whereas the ceramic items find their way to the museum Middelfart.
A donation by The Bikuben Foundation in 2005 facilitates the first handover from Erik Veistrup’s collection. Out of a collection of 1200 ceramic works, 847 are selected for the museum. The works represent a wide range of Danish studio and artist ceramics from the beginning of the 20th century and onwards. From the great classics such as Axel Salto, Patrick Nordström and Jais Nielsen, the heyday of the studio ceramics with Gutte Eriksen, Gertrud and Myre Vasegaard and Christian Poulsen, the equilibrists Alev Siesbye, Jane Reumert, Ursula Munch-Petersen and Bente Hansen and to the glaze and form experimenting ceramicists Bente Skjøttgaard and Morten Løbner Espersen. In 2012, a donation of 200 works follows, amongst these are works by Anders Brinch, Andreas Schulenburg and Louise Hindsgavl, whose figurative expressions are both provocative and innovative. And in 2020 he followed this up with a new, grand donation to CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art.
The latest donation of just over 100 works shows that Erik Veistrup again collects across generations, schools and expressions; from his old darlings of the classic studio ceramics to the young artists Pernille Pontoppidan Pedersen and Klara Lilja who both challenge the material and the concept of the work itself. Erik Veistrup’s collection is by no means linear. On one hand, the works are bought in admiration for the artist’s ability to master his craft, on the other hand for the love of the unpredictable. When the artist or the ceramicist has the courage to find new ways, to give the work personality, humour and a critical potential in an original idiom, then Erik Veistrup is beside himself with joy. This is where ceramics starts a dialogue.
The exhibition has its focus on Erik Veistrup’s incredible sense of ceramics as he has selected works from all three donations and grouped them in intriguing dialogues. A curation which is both courageous and informal and which above all follows his heart.
The catalogue/book published in connection to the exhibition includes texts in both Danish and English and is available in the museum shop: Clay Shop
The exhibition has been supported by:
15. Juni Fonden
Lemvigh-Müller Fonden
Knud Højgaards Fond
Dansk Tennis Fond
Carl Hansen & Søn
Photos:
Morten Løbner Espersen, “Moon Jars”, 2018. Stoneware, 43,5 x 45 cm.
Erik Veistrup Collection. Photographer: Ole Akhøj
Erik Veistrup in his living room at his home. 2020
Photographer: Ole Akhøj