O-BALANS MARIA JOHANSSON 2000

A market purchase a year ago! This has been a mystery item to me until I took it out again in preparation for the "Egg Festival". I went looking for information and got nowhere. I cried for help to 'scandinavian_pieces' and she was able to give me the relevant information. Thank you Amy!

She replied: "I think it is Obalans / o-balans / O-balance / obalance by Maria Johansson : ) - she has designed some great bits."

She was right!

Details about Maria Johansson are few and far between. The item dates to around 2000 when it won a prize at the "Formexmässans inom kategorin: glas, lera, keramik." Formexmässans is an annual design show in Sweden. At this time Gustavsberg was employing designers to produce wares for the new face of the factory. In 1996 it went under new management when some of the employees became owners. This vase is one of their products under the new HPF i Gustafsberg name - Household Porcelain Factory (HPF) in the old factory building in Gustavsberg, 20 km east of Stockholm.

The name of this design is O-balans which describes the balancing act of this 'vinkopp' or wine cup. It is made out of the thinnest egg-shell porcelain and balances delicately on a point where the curve hits the surface. It is glazed internally and has a matt hand-finished outer surface. It comes in a variety of colours: white, lavender, green, blue, beige and yellow. The cup can be used for a variety of purposes and is a joy to hold. It is a 'touchy-feely'.

Maria Johansson was born and raised in Överkalix, Sweden. In 2001 she graduated as a painter at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, specializing in ceramics and interior architectural and fine arts. Since then she has worked in her new home, Holland.
http://annettehormann-art.com/exhibition_bowls_for_peace_and_a_few_other_works_of_love_brussels.htm

Diameter 5-6 cm Weight: 100 g Volume: 2.7 ml

The judges at the 2000 FORMEX Design Award said:
"A subtle vessel with strong expression in spite of its brittle nature."