Ellen Ehk: Riverstones

Ellen Ehk: Riverstones, 2018-2020

Stones in a winding river, green algae, pools of water mirroring their surroundings. The ancient stone that lies still and watches us as we rush on and are eclipsed by a constant flow. It is in this stone’s tranquility that we feel its’ weight and witness its’ testament to substance.

In the beginning, there were elements. During her early years as an artist Ellen Ehk focused on the field of craft and she became well known and respected in Sweden for her explorations of utility objects. Thin porcelain cups, stylish teapots, an interest in functional objects as a form of intimacy. Slick stones in a river. The thought of water running over them, rushing, gushing. Soft algae that colour the surface, so surprisingly green, almost fluorescent.

Throughout her 20 year career, this use of raw elements has evolved into experiments across several mediums, all focused on exploring the intimacy of the old-growth forests surrounding her native Småland.

“After having explored the boundaries, conditions and the limitless possibilities of the elements, she has come to work mostly with liquid clay. Sometimes, the work with a sculpture begins with what is usually the finishing procedure in ceramics, the glazing of the object. Ellen continues to invent new ways of casting ceramics. Using her studio as a laboratory where new findings around material and form are made. A sculpture takes on the form of a coral, but the point of departure is actually forest moss.” Joanna Sandell

Photos by Markus Akesson