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©Pohlkemper
©Pohlkemper
©Pohlkemper
©Pohlkemper
©Robert Wilken

Maria Pohlkemper

  • Keramikwerke
  • Porcelain maker
  • Billerbeck, Germany
  • Master Artisan
Maria Pohlkemper Porcelain maker
Contact
German, English
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+49 2543931262
©Wattendorff

The tension between planning and chance

  • • Maria won the NRW State Prize with a work she initially considered a failure
  • • She works mostly with white porcelain
  • • Prior to ceramics, she had studied theology

Maria Pohlkemper creates sculptural objects from fine bone china porcelain. After studying theology, she completed a second vocational training in ceramics. She did an apprenticeship in a company that also produces ceramics for Friedensreich Hundertwasser. "I chose structural ceramics because I was impressed by the murals and large-format ceramics made by this company." An exhibition at her vocational school in Höhr Grenzhausen sparked her interest in porcelain. The porcelain that Maria finds most beautiful is white, but with a warm translucency. When she started her own workshop, it took her some time to develop the perfect porcelain she had in mind. Maria continues to experiment and discover new forms and ways of handling porcelain. When firing her sculptures, there is a risk that the work will collapse or deform due to the intense heat. "Once the objects are in the kiln, I have to let go and let chance take its course."

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©Robert Wilken
  • ©Robert Wilken
  • ©Robert Wilken
  • ©Robert Wilken
  • ©Robert Wilken
Photo: ©Robert Wilken
Inspiration Japan

The Japanese flag inspired this work. The piece consists of a rectangular plate with two circular, wavelike structures and a small red bowl at its centre.

Photo: ©Robert Wilken
Capsula II

White bone china is used to create this porcelain object with a prolate spheroid shape. Freely crafted from thin porcelain plates, it is framed in a rectangular shape. There is a circular recess in each rectangle. As a result, you can see through the object.

Photo: ©Robert Wilken
Capsula I

This round porcelain object is made from white bone china. Freely crafted from thin porcelain plates, it is built from many rectangles. Each rectangle has a circular recess. As a result, you can see through the object.

Photo: ©Robert Wilken
Infinity

This flat bowl is made of white porcelain. Its structure resembles cords or lace. Porcelain is sprayed into a mould to create this effect.

Photo: ©Robert Wilken
Luna

This object made of white bone china porcelain is in the shape of a sea urchin. It was freely constructed from thin porcelain plates.

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