Morten Klitgaard

Like the surface of an unknown planet, Morten Klitgaard's artworks look otherworldly. By pushing the capabilities of glass to its limits and experimenting with new techniques, he creates works that don't look like glass at all, but ressemble something unconventional, like craters of a new moon, or relics discovered on the bottom of the sea. Morten fell in love with glassblowing as a child, learning the basics from his best friend’s father while growing up in the north of Jutland, Denmark. He went on to train for three years with the famous Danish glass artist Tobias Møhl. Since graduating from the Royal Danish Academy of Art in 2012, he has exhibited all over Europe and in Japan.

Morten Klitgaard has the ability to use numerous traditional glasswork techniques mastered over decades, but chooses not to in many of his current works, as he wants to push glassmaking into new territory without being caught up in conventions related to techniques. He is currently focusing on surface effects on blown forms, adding patina and working to push the transparency of glass to achieve glaze-like effects. His work is driven by the urge to investigate and push the limits of glass as a material. Morten continuously develops new ways of working with the surface, discovering new techniques and methods that draw out unique qualities in the material.

Ancient glass has a tactility that Morten Klitgaard wants to explore through his work. It often looks porous and weathered, adding another layer to objects. He spends a lot of time looking at glazes on ceramics and considering how to create glass "glazes", as the materials are so similar to ceramics, yet the process is so different. Morten’s passion and deep respect for glass guides him through technical and creative processes, often leading him into extensive experiments. These tests and trials take him in many directions giving Morten’s work an individual and unconventional aesthetic. He draws on traditional, classic and static forms as references for the basis of his work, as they provide a contrast to tactile and textured surfaces.

Next of Europe Exhibition