BASIC ELEMENTS
Kirsi Kivivirta
The surrounding urban landscape and its different spaces inspire Kirsi Kivivirta. She uses geometry, perspective and visual illusions when creating her imagery. The references to landscapes in the artworks speak about the relationship between urban humans and nature, with wildlife assigned only to memories.
Kivivirta’s works are always based on a clear concept. To emphasise this, Kivivirta tends to leave her work white in colour. Drops and Flow II, however, include a modest palette of tones. Kivivirta is drawn to minimalist ideas that enable the medium to speak for itself. In Kivivirta’s porcelain wall compositions, one can experience movement and rest, dynamic force and contemplation. She plays with displacement and trompe l’oeil effects as well as distorted perspectives and horizons.
There is a tremendous potential in raw materials and natural resources. Clay as a primordial raw material is a powerful and expressive medium. As an artist, I am on a journey to explore and understand the natural properties of clay and the firing process. My palette is limited, shades of white and grey, blacks, natural pigments and metallic oxides.
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Kirsi Kivivirta, ceramic artist and lecturer, was born in Turku, Finland, in 1959. In 1985, she graduated from University of Art and Design in Helsinki, obtaining a Master’s degree in Arts. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics, Ornamo, the Finnish Association of Designers, as well as Helsinki Artists’ Association. Since 1983, she has exhibited her works in numerous exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, etc. as well as held more than 15 solo shows in Finland and abroad. Kivivirta has received several international awards. She also participates in artist residencies and symposia. Her artwork is held in many public and private collections.
