Posted 11 years ago
vetraio50
(756 items)
A few months ago I found this piece at the Collectors Fair here on Sydney. It was my second piece of GLIT. I had bought my first almost twenty years ago knowing nothing at all about the origin of the piece. Later I found reference to the mark and retraced it back to the land of Björk!
Glit is a ceramic studio founded by Ragnar Kjartansson (1923-1988).
Ragnar studied under Guthmundur fra Mithdal (1895-1963) an Icelandic artist and Asmundi Sveinssyni, a sculptor. Later Ragnar opened his first ceramic studio, Funi Keramik, in 1947.
The pottery first housed in the old downtown at 13 Odinsgata street, Reykjavík, Iceland. The first equipment and the ovens were built by Ragnar Kjartansson, who was the driving force behind the product development and design of the company. He was a member of the Icelandic Sculptors Society which he established in the Icelandic capital in 1972 along with Hallsteinn Siguryhsson, Jon Gunnar Arnason, Porbjörg Palsdottir and others.
This is a biggie!
Totally brutalist!
The pieces of lava are very sharp.
You should keep them away from glass because that lava can scratch.
Within all of the grey brown there are little touches of fiery red!
Earlier this year in Iceland there was an exhibition of GLIT at Iceland's Museum of Design and Applied Art:
A GLIMPSE OF GLIT (8.2. – 26.5. 2013)
Production of Icelandic ceramic art between 1958-1973
"On Museum Night the Museum of Design and Applied Art opens an exhibition featuring chosen items from the Glit Pottery from between the years 1958 and 1973. The exhibition places emphasis on the fact that despite its complicated history over many years of operation, Glit was adamantly devoted to utilizing Icelandic clay and ground minerals in production during its first decade of operation—especially hardened lava.
Glit was, in many ways, well ahead of its time—making deep impressions in the history of Icelandic ceramic art. The Glit Pottery LLC was founded on June 10, 1958 by Einar Eliasson, a businessman; Pétur Saemundsen, then head of the Federation of Icelandic Industries and later head of the Industrial Bank (Ithnatharbanki); and Ragnar Kjartansson, sculptor and ceramic artist. The pottery, operated at Othinsgata downtown Reykjavik until 1971, when the decision was made to expand the company and move its operations to Höfthi. The company’s time at Othnsgata is often referred to as the “Old Glit”, and the company as it operated at Höfthi called “The Big Glit.”
Glit’s administration had lofty artistic ambitions immediately upon the company’s founding. Ideas about expansion and exportation came early on, so that nearly from its inception the company operated under the highest of standards and was unyielding in their demand to withstand all comparison. Many of this country’s best-known artists of the 20th century worked at Glit at one point or another, remembering the place as an artistic breeding ground, especially during the time when Ragnar was in charge of the manufacturing workshop at Othinsgata. Technological advances and the desire to increase production led Glit to shift gears, moving them from Iceland’s history of art and design and into its industrial history.
The exhibition “A Glimpse of Glit” includes many items from the Pottery, both from Othinsgata (where operations lasted between 1958-1971) as well as from Höfthi. The company’s physical move reflected the changing emphasis of its production, as it took place at the same time as artistic direction shifted from Ragnar Kjartansson to the German ceramic artist Gerhard Schwarz, who took over in 1968."
honnunarsafn@honnunarsafn.is
Wow, this is very unique and beautiful
Many thanks AIMATHENA!
Many thanks AGHCOLLECT!
Really interesting piece. Really like it.
very beautiful and very stunning :) Congrats on this Kevin:)!
Very organic..wonderful piece of pottery, love it very much!..
Are the fires affecting you at all..no one you know been hit by them I hope!!..I believe you are getting the smoke... take care!
Many thanks everyone:
AMBER, INKY, SEAN, POPS, CATEANN, PHIL, GARY, GARGOYLE & LEAH too!
Thanks too for those kind wishes INKY.
The fires are well outside the city centre where I live.
The season has just begun.
We can see it and smell it.
The vision has been amazing.
The indigenous peoples used fire to manage this land.
Fire-stick Farming is the term.
http://austhrutime.com/fire-stick_farmers.htm
GORGEOUS!! I haven't found anything like that on the back roads of Indiana. Love it!!!
The Lava pieces are a real kinaesthetic surprise on Glit pieces.
Thanks for that coomment Catteann!
I found a photo you might like .....
http://www.nannadis.com/blog/glit/
http://www.mbl.is/greinasafn/grein/745524/
Your very welcome Kevin:)
Many thanks for the Love TOM61375!
Many thanks AUSTRO!
WOW! I really love this piece, I really do! I have climbed volcanoes in Costa Rica and Guatemala. Something about lava and Fire and earthquakes. I guess it is hard to explain but I do really love this!!
Many thanks MIKELV & DON too!
Iceland, my mother was an Army Nurse there.WW-2. Iceland is like a far away planet to me. Special, lava is old and alien and wonderful, and like birth of a planet! I like this!
Many thanks ANTIQUES-IN-NJ!
And thanks to you too Don for these kind comments.
Iceland's special!
Great pottery! Luv lava
It brings so many thoughts and feelings to mind, a gorgeous piece.
Your right, love the photos now I'm gonna be on the hunt for my own!! Will post when I find it!!! Thanks for sharing this exquisite piece of pottery!!!
Many thanks everyone! Thanks go to TONY, FREIHEIT, TOM, AUSTRO, NADIA, FLEDERMAUS, SARAHHOFF, GARY, ALDO & PETEY!
You are very welcome vetraio50! =)
Love the write up by you .....as well ;-)
many thanks BOOTSON and to you too for those kind comments ROYCROFTSBOOKSFROMME1!
Many thanks SMIATA!
Many thanks Manikin!
Great peice Kevin. Can you see the fires from where you are it would be pretty smokey your way coming from the mountain. I have a nephew at Falconbridge at the moment so was quite concerned. When I lived up the mountains in Katoomba I alway's worried that would happen one road in & one out apart from the Bell road if I remember wrightly. I wish anyone there the best of luck.
Many thanks Zowie!
My thoughts are with them too!
Many thanks TOM!
Many thanks Jarrod! It's not everyones cup of tea. The dealer was happy to be rid of it. But that label was important too. I finally understood the pressed mark I'd seen on so many other pieces.
WOW! this is a beaut, vetraio!
[i like your new photo too!]
Many thanks to HO2CULTCHA!
Many thanks BRATJDD!
Just getting to some older Emails I hope all is well Kevin at the moment your lucky being in the inner City. Now the Hawksberry going also, not nice many a time have swam there.
Hi Zowie! Hopefully the weather will bring a dampener to it all!
Incredible piece, and a very nice summary of information about the artist!
Many thanks MIEDERMAN and SHAWN too for your kind comments!
I'll agree with you on that point Kevin not to good at all. Saying that it's still pretty dry & not much in site. Be safe have a good day
Many thanks NORDICMAN!
Many thanks GEO26E!
Happy New Year MIKELV and thanks for the love!
Many thanks AGRAM!
Many thanks FREIHEIT 'n ANTIQUEROSE!
Many thanks HO2CULTCHA!
Many thanks ANTIQUEROSE!
Many thanks NITTYGRITTY!
Many thanks ARTDECOGIRL !!!!!!
Many thanks LOUMANAL !!!!!!
Many thanks KATHERINESCOLLECTIONS !!!!!!!!
Many thanks ANNAB !!! !!! !!!
Many thanks AURA !!!!!!!
I must say again how much I appreciate this piece. Also I hope you are well Vetraio!
Many thanks yet again CATTEANN !!!
Have you found one yet ?.??.?
Many thanks HUNTERQLEE & NEWFLD !!.!!.!!