Nils Martin-Guozhong Ceramic Art Museum

中文 / English

Return to Main Guide

Nils Martin

Artist's Work

Steel Men

Work introduction

Nils Martin

My ceramics has a distinct style. I see myself as a scientist, researching into the different aspects of how to perceive form. I mix elements of cubist drawing and pop art painting onto ceramic wall objects or ceramic sculpture.

Often, I create juxtapositions between physical form with the clay, the illusion of form through oxide pencil drawing and the decomposition of form through flat patterns of black stains or bright colours. By creating large contrasts, I want to intrigue the eye.

As important as the visual outcome, I also see myself as a storyteller. Through my method of creating ceramics, a multi-layered narrative appears where the object/sculpture, the drawing and sometimes also the paintings highlight’s different aspects of the same story. This creates a three-dimensional storytelling. This approach makes my style of ceramics unique.

There are similarities with other ceramic artist that also draw on objects, but what stands out with my art, is the way I put things together.

From an early age, I was trained in the tradition of drawing, painting and sculpture and felt equally competent doing either. As a student I figured out how to combine all three and apply them through ceramics. That is how I found my niche and I have been using this formula ever since.

At school I studied the futuristic utility ware of Nora Gubrandsen and Sevres porcelain. I was also influenced by Picasso`s sculpture, Leger`s painting, graffiti art and Hip-Hop culture. My working method, mixing flat and round, my studies and early influences all come to play