The love for the history of ceramics connects the collector Rasmus Meyer with Heidi Bjørgan’s artistic work, in an exhibition that both challenges and enchants.
The exhibition opens on Thursday 21 November at 19.00.
Heidi Bjørgan (b. 1970) is internationally recognized for her experimental and expressive ceramic forms, pushing the boundaries of form and material, as well as for her theatrical, spatial installations inspired by directors like Peter Greenaway, David Lynch, and Robert Wilson.
Considered one of the foremost craft artists of her generation in Norway, Bjørgan’s work often engages in dialogue with the history of ceramics, exploring and deconstructing its archetypal vocabulary and challenging preconceptions of beauty and ugliness, right and wrong.
Rasmus Meyer (1858–1916) is widely known for his collection of historic interiors and masterpieces from Norway’s “golden age” of art, featuring painters like J.C. Dahl, Harriet Backer, and Edvard Munch. Donated to the city of Bergen upon Meyer’s death, these works now form a cornerstone of the Kode collections.
Heidi + Rasmus
A lesser-known aspect of Rasmus Meyer is his deep appreciation for decorative arts. He had an exquisite ceramics collection, once described as unparalleled in Norway, that was dispersed after his death.
To mark the centennial of the Meyer collection, Heidi Bjørgan will curate an intervention that brings her work into dialogue with Meyer’s legacy. Titled Heidi + Rasmus = True Love, the exhibition unites two kindred spirits —a contemporary artist and a historical collector —both with a true love for the art of ceramics.
With her contemporary female artistic gaze, Bjørgan creates new and surprising dialogues with the permanent exhibition, in spaces usually dominated by the paintings of male artistic geniuses from Meyer’s collection.
What Cannot Be Done
Deconstruction and exploration of the fundamental forms of ceramics are central to Bjørgan’s practice. Her working method involves doing everything that, in theory, should not be possible to do.
One of Bjørgan’s major influences is the American ceramicist George Ohr (1857–1918), also known as “The Mad Potter of Biloxi.” Ohr was one the first to challenge the idea that ceramics must serve a functional purpose. Another source of inspiration from the late 19th century is the Danish ceramic artist Hans Hjorth (1878–1966) part of the family dynasty that ran Hjorts Fabrik on Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Hidden in the factory’s storage, Bjørgan discovered old casting moulds, typical examples of Skønvirke – the Danish equivalent of Art Nouveau.
By using the historical plaster moulds, Bjørgan has reinterpreted these forms for the exhibition, deconstructing their physical appearance and covering them with unexpected combinations of glazes.
These expressive techniques give her works a distinct modern appearance – at the same time as clearly alluding to the history of ceramics.
Heidi + Rasmus = True Love
Nov 21, 2024 – Mar 16, 2025
Kode Bergen Art Museum
Bergen, Norway
