The love for the history of ceramics connects the collectior Rasmus Meyer with Heidi Bjørgan's artistic work, in an exhibition that both challenges and enchants. The exhibition opens on Thursday 21 November at 19.00.

As an artist, Heidi (b. 1970) is internationally recognized for her experimental and expressive ceramic forms and theatrical installations, inspired by directors such as Peter Greenaway, David Lynch, and Robert Wilson.

The businessman Rasmus (1858-1916) is primarily known for his vision of creating a "national gallery" for Western Norway, and not least for his remarkable collection of fine art, which is now part of Kode Bergen Art Museum.

This winter, Heidi Bjørgan will engage with Rasmus Meyer's collection through an intervention featuring her own artworks, with several pieces created specifically for the exhibition.

With her contemporary female artistic gaze, Bjørgan creates new and surprising dialogues with the permanent exhibition, in spaces usually dominated by the paintings of male artistic geniuses from Meyer’s collection.

Heidi + Rasmus

A lesser-known aspect of Rasmus Meyer is his great passion for ceramics. He had an outstanding collection of antique porcelain, faience, and stoneware, which was dispersed after his death.

Thus, the exhibition is a meeting between two individuals with a true love for ceramics. Rasmus Meyer’s collecting endeavours encounter Heidi Bjørgan’s contemporary artistry in an exhibition that both challenges and enchants.

What cannot be done

Deconstruction and exploration of the fundamental forms of ceramics are central to Bjørgan's practice. Her working method involves doing everything that, in theory, should not be possible to do—like mixing glazes and clay types that cannot be combined.

Her works shows extensive experimentation with techniques and new visual effects. She challenges the notion of what good ceramics are by “erasing” the traces of all learned skills.

The goal is to break the rules that the materials are bound by and to reflect on decay and beauty.

Heidi Bjørgan is based in Bergen and trained as an artist at the Bergen Academy of Art and Design and Konstfack in Stockholm. She also holds curator qualifications from the Bergen Academy of Art and Design and is a central figure on the Norwegian crafts scene, both as an artist and a curator.

In recent years, Bjørgan has had solo exhibitions at venues such as Galleri Dropsfabrikken, the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Trondheim, and Kunstnerforbundet in Oslo. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions and fairs, both nationally and internationally.

Bjørgan’s works have been acquired by a number of art and design museums and private collections within and outside of Norway, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the National Museum of Norway, the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Trondheim, Kode Bergen Art Museum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trondheim Art Museum, Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum, and Kunstsilo.