Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl (Danish, b. 1954) is a ceramic artist based in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has worked with a myriad of spatial themes and ornaments that frequently reoccur in his formal vocabulary, and which emerge through a methodical, gradual and experimental serial process. Notably, the knot as a shape has been a leitmotif offering possibilities for various sinuous rhythmic cadences and abstract narratives. The hand built architectonic works appear as ‘spatial drawings’–solid, twisting and turning through space. Kaldahl’s interest also lies in the potential of the object to make a direct emotional impact on the viewer. The motif is always clear in its simplicity and easily decoded while remaining open to interpretations.
Kaldahl first trained as a potter in the 1970s. In 1988, he joined the Masters program at the Royal College of Art in London, where he graduated in 1990. He is a co-founder of the artist run exhibition platform, Copenhagen Ceramics (CC) launched in 2012. Kaldahl’s works are represented in several public and private collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Danish Museum of Art & Design in Copenhagen, The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo and Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris.
Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl was Associate Professor from 2009 – 2020 at SuperFormLab at KADK, The Royal Danish Academy, School of Design. He is a co-initiator of the artist run exhibition platform, Copenhagen Ceramics (CC) in 2011. CC ran a gallery in Copenhagen from 2012 – 2014, showing 27 exhibitions. Since then CC continues to curate shows, e.g. the large international show of 23 artists Ceramic Momentum – Staging the Object at CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Denmark ( from May 10 through Nov 3 2019), and most recently Bend, Bubble and Shine – a show of nine Danish ceramic artists at Hostler Burrows Gallery in New York and Los Angeles.
MARTIN BODILSEN KALDAHL
Danish, b. 1954
EDUCATION
1988-90 Royal College of Art, London
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark (forthcoming)
2023 Probing the Floor, Sniffing the Air, HB381, New York, USA
2022 Digressions Tubulaires, Galerie NeC, Paris, France
2020 Spatial Drawings, Taste Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland
2018 Spatial Drawings, Ann Linnemann Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2017 Spatial Drawings, Galerie NeC, Paris, France
2016 Possible Gestures, Gallery Format, Oslo, Norway
2014 X-Scapes, Copenhagen Ceramics, Denmark
New Works, Gallerie NeC, Paris, France
2012 Other Objects, Copenhagen Ceramics Exhibition Space, Denmark
2011 Puls Contemporary, Brussels, Belgium
Stump – the Lobbed Branch, Ann Linnemann Studio Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2008 The Digital Clay, Danish Museum of Art and Design, Copenhagen, Denmark
2005 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Puls Contemporary Ceramics, Brussels, Belgium
2003 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Clara Scremini Gallery, Paris, France
2002 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Puls Contemporary Ceramics, Brussels, Belgium
2001 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Clara Scremini Gallery, Paris, France
2000 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Puls Contemporary Ceramics, Brussels, Belgium
1999 Udstillingssted for Ny Keramik, Copenhagen, Denmark
1997 Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 Matter at Hand, Hostler Burrows, New York, and Los Angeles, USA
Bend, Bubble and Shine, Hostler Burrows, New York, and Los Angeles, USA
Odd & Even, Maison Louis Carré, Paris, France
Wunderkammer, Peach Corner Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019 Five Cubed, Taste Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland
100 Years of Danish Ceramics, Sophieholm, Denmark
Marsden Woo Gallery, London, England
Ceramic Momentum – Staging the Object, CLAY Museum, Middelfart, Denmark
2018 Marsden Woo Gallery, London, England
2017 Danish Design at the House, Sydney Opera House, Australia
2016 Hot Danes, Puls Contemporary Ceramics, Brussels, Belgium
Copenhagen Ceramics Invites, Galeria Salvatore Lanteri, Milan, Italy
2015 Marsden Woo Gallery, London, England
Random Growth, Sarah Myerscough Gallery, London, England
2012 European Union Council Building, Brussels, Belgium
2011 Living with Ceramics, Puls Gallery and Ambersand House, Brussels, Belgium
2010 Contemporary British Studio Ceramics - The Granier Collection, Mint Museum,
Charlotte, USA
KOM, Cypress Gallery, Leuven, Denmark
Ceramics, Art Museum of Skanderborg, Denmark
Danish Ceramics, Mariagerfjord Kunstforening, Hobro, Denmark
2007 END. An International Ceramics Exhibition Project, Danish Museum of Art and Design,
Bomuldsfabriken Kunstal, Arendal, Norway
Drud and Køppe Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Biennial for Crafts and Design, Trapholt Art Museum, Denmark
2006 Musée Magnelli, Vallauris, France
2005 Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York, USA
2004 Clara Scremini Gallery, Paris, France
SUPER DANISH, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Canada
2003 Scandinavian Design Beyond the Myth, Traveling European Exhibition 2003-07
Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002 From the Kilns of Denmark, Traveling Exhibition, 2002-04
Le Tradition de Demain – Innovation au Quotidien, La Maision du Denmark, Paris, France
2000 Danish Porcelain 1775-2000, The Danish Museum of Decorative Arts, Copenhagen
Tableware of the Future, Royal Scandinavia A/S Showrooms, Copenhagen and Trapholt,
Denmark
1999 Keramik aus Dänemark, Munich, Germany
National Arts Council Exhibition, Copenhagen, Denmark
1997 Danish Ceramics 1850-1997, Sophienholm, Denmark
1996 Clara Scremini Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
1996 Danish Art and Design, St. Petersburg, Russia
1994 Charlottenborg Efterårsudstilling, Copenhagen, Denmark
Inaugural Exhibition, Grimmerhus Ceramics Museum, Denmark
1993 Young Contemporaries, Copenhagen, Denmark
AWARDS
Annie and Otto Johs Detlefs Ceramics Prize 2017
Inga and Eyvind Kold-Christensen Foundation. DK. Honorary Award, 2011
Ole Haslunds Kunstnerfond, DK. Honorary Award, 2005
The Sotheby Award, Collect, London, 2005
The Danish National Bank Jubilee Fund , 2010,05,03,01,96,94
National Arts Council, DK. stipends: 2011,10,09,07,04
Crafts Council Annual Award, DK (Kunsthåndværkerrådets Årspris), 2001
The Design Foundation, Ministry of Culture, DK, 1997
The National Arts Council, DK. 3-year-Grant, 1997
Danish Contemporary Art Foundation, 1996
The Sir Eduardo Paolozzi Travel Scholarship, RCA, 1989. Trip to Mali, West Africa
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France
Danish Museum of Art and Design, Copenhagen, Denmark
National Museum, Oslo, Norway
Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg, Sweden
MIMA, Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art, United Kingdom
Danish Arts Foundation, Copenhagen Denmark (1994, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2012)
Trapholt Art Museum, Denmark
CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark
The Arts Association of 14. August, Denmark (1998, 2009)
Annie and Otto Joh. Detlefs Foundation, Denmark
Diane and Marc Grainer Collection, Washington, USA
Private collections
MEMBERSHIPS
AIC/IAC - International Academy of Ceramics
