What awakened your interest in jugs?
As a silversmith, you’re expected to create a coffeepot as a kind of master test. But nobody uses a coffeepot today and I’m not that interested in creating objects that are merely decorative. Therefore, I took an interest in jugs and became fascinated by a sense of movement in the object.
Why did you make your collection of jugs with bullet marks?
It was a way to explore the difference between art and craft. Only the tax authorities know where to draw the line. One of my silver jugs would be considered craft, until I shoot a hole in it and make it unusable, then it’s suddenly art. What if I fill it with concrete, would that make it a sculpture?
© Sebastian Schildt
What do you hope to achieve running a gallery?
Artists usually sell their work via galleries, which means they have a gallerist who can promote the work and motivate the price. In craft, almost all outlets are cooperatives and it’s often up to the craftsperson to sell their work. I wanted to do something to change that.
How is your restaurant linked to craft?
My new restaurant Oxenstiernan is, I guess, an entrepreneurial attempt to provide a platform to show contemporary craft. A gallery is quite a traditional place to look at and to buy art and I asked myself if it could be done in a new way where I could communicate with the audience on several levels.