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 1990, he graduated from the master’s program at the Royal College of Art in London. Kaldahl’s works are represented in several public and private collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Danish Museum of Art & Design, The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo, and the Musée des Arts Decoratifs.
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). CC ran a gallery in Copenhagen from 2012–2014, showing 27 exhibitions. Since then CC continues to curate shows, including the large international show of 23 artists Ceramic Momentum — Staging the Object at the CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Denmark, and most recently Bend, Bubble, and Shine, a show of nine Danish ceramic artists at Hostler Burrows' galleries in New York and Los Angeles.
MARTIN BODILSEN KALDAHL
b. 1954, Denmark
EDUCATION
1990
Royal College of Art, London, UK
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
Cuts, Stripes and Knots: A Ceramic Retrospective, CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark
2023
Probing the Floor, Sniffing the Air, HB381, New York, NY
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
New Works, Gallerie NeC, Paris, France
X-Scapes, Copenhagen Ceramics, Denmark
2012
Other Objects, Copenhagen Ceramics Exhibition Space, Denmark
2011
Stump – the Lobbed Branch, Ann Linnemann Studio Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Puls Contemporary, Brussels, Belgium
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, Clara Scremini Gallery, Paris, France
Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Galleri Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
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, Galleri Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Ceramic Constructions, Hjorths Fabrik, Rønne, Denmark
Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl & Paul Gaffney, Taste Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland
Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl & Sho Ota, Peach Corner Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2021
Bend, Bubble and Shine, Hostler Burrows, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA
Matter at Hand, Hostler Burrows, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA
Odd & Even, Maison Louis Carré, Paris, France
Wunderkammer, Peach Corner Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019
Ceramic Momentum – Staging the Object, CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark
Five Cubed, Taste Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland
One Hundred Years of Danish Ceramics, Sophieholm, Denmark
Marsden Woo Gallery, London, UK
2018
Marsden Woo Gallery, London, UK
2017
Danish Design at the House, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
2016
Copenhagen Ceramics Invites, Galeria Salvatore Lanteri, Milan, Italy
Hot Danes, Puls Contemporary Ceramics, Brussels, Belgium
2015
Random Growth, Sarah Myerscough Gallery, London, UK
Marsden Woo Gallery, London, UK
2012
European Union Council Building, Brussels, Belgium
2011
Living with Ceramics, Puls Gallery and Ambersand House, Brussels, Belgium
2010
Ceramics, Art Museum of Skanderborg, Denmark
Contemporary British Studio Ceramics – The Granier Collection, Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC
Danish Ceramics, Mariagerfjord Kunstforening, Hobro, Denmark
KOM, Cypress Gallery, Leuven, Denmark
2007
Biennial for Crafts and Design, Trapholt Art Museum, Denmark
END. An International Ceramics Exhibition Project, Danish Museum of Art and Design, Bomuldsfabriken Kunstal, Arendal, Norway
Drud and Køppe Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2006
Musée Magnelli, Vallauris, France
2005
Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York, NY
2004
Super Danish, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Canada
Clara Scremini Gallery, Paris, France
2003–2007
Scandinavian Design Beyond the Myth, Traveling European Exhibition
2003
Galleri Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002–2004
From the Kilns of Denmark, Traveling Exhibition
2002
Le Tradition de Demain: Innovation au Quotidien (The Tradition of Tomorrow: Everyday Innovation), La Maision du Denmark, Paris, France
2000
Danish Porcelain 1775–2000, The Danish Museum of Decorative Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark
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
Inaugural Exhibition, Grimmerhus Ceramics Museum, Middelfart, Denmark
Charlottenborg Efterårsudstilling, Copenhagen, Denmark
1993
Young Contemporaries, Copenhagen, Denmark
AWARDS
Annie and Otto Johs Detlefs Ceramics Prize, 2017
Crafts Council Annual Award, DK (Kunsthåndværkerrådets Årspris), 2001
Danish Contemporary Art Foundation, 1996
Inga and Eyvind Kold-Christensen Foundation. DK. Honorary Award, 2011
Ole Haslunds Kunstnerfond, DK. Honorary Award, 2005
The Danish National Bank Jubilee Fund, 2010,05,03,01,96,94
The Design Foundation, Ministry of Culture, DK, 1997
The National Arts Council, DK. stipends, 2011,10,09,07,04
The National Arts Council, DK. 3-year-Grant, 1997
The Sir Eduardo Paolozzi Travel Scholarship, RCA, 1989. Trip to Mali, West Africa
The Sotheby Award, Collect, London, 2005
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Annie and Otto Joh. Detlefs Foundation, Denmark
CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark
Danish Arts Foundation, Copenhagen Denmark (1994, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2012)
Danish Museum of Art and Design, Copenhagen, Denmark
Diane and Marc Grainer Collection, Washington, DC
MIMA Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Middlesbrough, UK
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France
National Museum, Oslo, Norway
Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg, Sweden
The Arts Association of 14. August, Denmark (1998, 2009)
Trapholt Art Museum, Denmark
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
Private collections
MEMBERSHIPS
AIC/IAC - International Academy of Ceramics
