Stavanger, Norway
Landscape is a common subject matter for art in all media, but it is less obvious how to proceed than its familiarity might suggest. Should the artwork seek to realistically represent how a mountain looks, abstractly embody how the sea feels, materially translate the importance of the sun’s energy? As a ceramicist, Tove Solbakk Seierstad has the advantage of working with materials and processes that are closer to the earth than many others; as one who is extremely skilled, she is also able to get her medium to believably resemble her subject matter. In this case, it is the kelp forests that cover 25 percent of the world’s coastlines, providing rich habitats for marine animals and much carbon sequestration. “Tareskog,” her trio of tall, narrow vases covered in effervescent surfaces, slicked with flowing blue-green-brown glazes, feel as close to a manifestation of a kelp forest as ceramics might plausibly achieve. Strong but fragile, long and slender, able to contain water, I want nothing more than to swim amongst them, watching their colors shift as the sun filters through, feeling the tickle of bubbles and the silkiness of their seaweed strands.
—Lori Waxman, March 18, 12:00 PM