Torbjørn Kvasbø (Norwegian, b. 1953) is an internationally acclaimed ceramic artist, with a career spanning several decades. Kvasbø’s practice challenges and pushes his own personal boundaries, as well as the physical possibilities of the medium. In his ongoing Stacked series, he reimagines the archetypical form of the vessel, creating upwardly spiraling sculptures from stacked tubes of extruded clay, often on a monumental scale. In the artist’s words, “My work process in the medium of clay offers a lot of resistance, and it reveals to me the forces over which I have no control – the incalculable elements of my inner being. My emotions and feelings are physically discharged into the work, and they become actual experiences themselves.” Through this transference of energy into the material, Kvasbø continues in the centuries-old tradition of the artist as alchemist.
Torbjørn Kvasbø lives and works in Venabygd, Norway. He was Head of the Ceramics Department at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden from 1996-2000, and Head of the Ceramic and Glass Department at Konstfack, Stockholm, Sweden from 2000-2008. His work has been exhibited extensively, including solo exhibitions at institutions throughout the world. Kvasbø is represented in the permanent collections of Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen; Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden; The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway; The National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim, Norway; The Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, Sweden; Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu Ceramics-Park Mino, Gifu, Japan; Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy; Musée National Adrien Dubouché, Limoges, France; Lillehammer Art Museum, Norway; KODE Art Museums of Bergen, Norway; Icheon World Ceramic Center, Icheon, South Korea; and the Auckland Museum Institute, Auckland, New Zealand, among many others.
TORBJØRN KVASBØ
b. 1953, Norway
EDUCATION
1978
Bergen School of Applied Arts (Bergen Academy of Art and Design), Bergen, Norway
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
Bundles of Energy, CAFA Art Museum, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
2020
Taoxichuan Museum, Jingdezhen, China
2019
GICB2019, South Korea
2018
The Byre, Ringebu Parsonage (Fjøset, Ringebu Prestegard), Norway
2017
The Byre, Ringebu Parsonage (Fjøset, Ringebu Prestegard) Kunsthall Grenland, Porsgrunn, Norway
2013
Lillehammer Art Museum, Lillehammer Norway Drammen Art Museum, Drammen, Norway
2010
Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway
2009
Trøndelag Centre for Contemporary Art, Trondheim, Norway
Gallery Zink, Lillehammer, Norway
2005
Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Oslo, Norway
2004
West Norway Museum of Decorative Arts, Bergen, Norway
Kunstbanken, Hamar, Norway
2003
Bomuldsfabriken Art Hall, Arendal, Norway
2001
MIC Museum of International Ceramics, Faenza, Italy
Galerie DM Sarver, Paris, France
Gallery Inger Molin, Stockholm, Sweden
2000
Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway
1998
Gallery Björnen, Stockholm, Sweden
1997
Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
1995
Main Street Gallery, Napa, CA
1994
Leedy-Voulkos Gallery, Kansas City, MO
The Works Art Festival, Edmonton, Canada
1993
Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway
Hordaland Art Centre, Bergen, Norway
Gallery Nørby, Copenhagen, Denmark
1992
Hopkins Hall Gallery, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
1991
The Works Art Festival, Edmonton, Canada
1990
Blås och Knåda, Stockholm, Sweden
National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim, Norway
1987
Hordaland Art Centre, Bergen, Norway
1986
Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway
1985
National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim, Norway
NATIONAL JURIED COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION
1977–2000, 2012 The Annual Exhibition of Norwegian Crafts, Norway
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
At the King’s Table: From Tableware to Contemporary Ceramics, Dronning Sonja KunstStall, Oslo, Norway
2019
Gallery Format, Nomad Venice, Venice, Italy
Museum Angewandte Kunst, “House of Norway,” Frankfurt am Main, Germany
SKMU Kristiansand Officine Saffi, Morfologia delle Meraviglie, Italy
Porselensmuseet Porsgrunn, Norway
KODE Bergen, Bergen, Norway
2018
Sevres Ceramic Museum, Sevres, France
About Clay, Exhibition of European Ceramic Art, Fiskars, Finland
2017
4th Documentary Exhibition of Fine Arts, Hubei Museum of Art, Hubei, China
Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale (GICB2017), South Korea
2016
Geometry of Chaos: Carlo Zauli, Torbjørn Kvasbø, Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
The Mode—International Ceramics Art Invitational, Liling Ceramics Valley Museum, Liling, China
Hangzhou International Contemporary Ceramic Art Biennale, Hangzhou, China
Inspired, The Scandinavian Center/TaoXicuang Museum, Jingdezhen, China
Modern Masters, International Trade Fair, Munich, Germany
2015
International Wood-Firing Festival, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Shanghai, China
Beyond G(l)aze, KODE2, Bergen, Norway
Transformator, Galleri Format, Oslo, Norway
Transformator, Hydrogenfabrikken, Fredrikstad, Norway
2014
SOFA Chicago, Chicago, IL
Transformator, Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall, Arendal, Norway
European Ceramic Context, Bornholm, Denmark
Attention: Craft, Liljevalchs, Stockholm, Sweden
Beyond G(l)aze, Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China
2013
Revelations, Grand Palais, Paris, France
Collect, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2012
Collect, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
Less Colour, Rogaland Art Centre, Stavanger, Norway
2011
Collect, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2010
Le Cru et le Cuit, Galerie Favardin & De Verneuil, Paris, France
Clay Energy Gulgong, Masters Exhibition, Cudgegong Gallery, Gulgong, Australia
Collect, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
Intonation, Deidesheim, Germany Taiwan
Ceramics Biennale, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Yingge, New Taipei City, Taiwan
2009
British Ceramic Biennial, Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Cheongju, South Korea
Intonation, Deidesheim, Germany Tendenser 2009, Gallery F15, Moss, Norway
2007
Terres Extremes, Maison de la Ceramique Contemporaine, Giroussens, France
Museu del Càntir d´Argentona, Barcelona, Spain
Keramik-Museum, Westerwald, Germany
2005
Typical Norwegian?, Vigeland-Museet, Oslo, Norway; Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany
Strata, Skulpturens Hus, Stockholm, Sweden
2004
Norwegen heute-keramisch, Hetjens-Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany
2003
NOW&NOW, World Ceramic Biennale 2003, Icheon, South Korea
2002
Keramik aus Norwegen, Galerie Handwerk, Munich, Germany
2001
Fifty Years of the Archie Bray Influence, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
1st World Ceramic Biennale 2001, Icheon, South Korea
The 52st Int. Ceramic Art Competition, Faenza, Italy
2000
Ceramic Circus 2000, Les Printemps des Poties, Bandol, France
Norwegian Alternatives, IADB-Cultural Center, Washington, DC
Sidney Myer International Ceramic Award, Shepparton Art Museum, Shepparton, Australia
1999
The 51st International Ceramic Art Competition, Faenza, Italy
Norwegian Contemporary Ceramics, Millenium Symposium, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Different Stokes, Invitational Exhibition, University of Iowa, University Heights, IA
1998
Stars, Galleri Inger Molin, Stockholm, Sweden
The Fletcher Challenge Award, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
Ceramic Art 1988–1998, Danmarks Keramikmuseum Grimmerhus, Middelfart, Denmark
Nordic Ceramic Triennale ’98, The Swedish History Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden-Norway-Expo Lära, Västerås Art Museum, Västerås, Sweden
1997
Ceramic Expressionism: Seven Norwegian Ceramicists, Danmarks Keramikmuseum Grimmerhus, Middelfart, Denmark
1997
Archie Bray Foundation NCECA, Green Valley Library Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
The Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Award of Merit, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
1996
Resident Artist Exhibition, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
Scandinavian Images, University of Durham, Durham, UK
Italy-Norway, Centro Esposivito della Rocca Paolina, Perugia, Italy
Museum voor Sierkunst, Ghent, Belgium
Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, Germany
Neue Wege International, Saarländisches Künstlerhaus, Saarbrücken, Germany
Woodfired Ceramics, Loes and Rainier International Ceramics, Deventer, The Netherlands
1995
The Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
Woodstack, The Gallery of Visual Arts, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
NCECA Clay National ’95, F.R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
1994–96
Nordic Images, Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Oslo, Norway; Helsinki Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Helsinki, Finland; Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden; Museum of Decorative Art and Design, Copenhagen, Denmark; Röhsska Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Gothenburg, Sweden; West Norway Museum of Decorative Art, Bergen, Norway; National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim, Norway
1994
Fire Men: Masters of the Anagama Kiln, Leedy-Voulkos Gallery, Kansas City, MO
The Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
In Touch, International Contemporary Crafts, part of the Cultural Programme of the XVII Olympic Winter Games 1994, Maihaugen, Lillehammer, Norway
1993
Mastermeeting, Ringebu Workshop 1993, Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Oslo, Norway
Pulverturm am Schlosswall, Artothek in der Peterstrasse, Oldenburg, Germany
The Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Judges Commendation, Auckland War
Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
1992
Hot Clay from Cold Climates, North Project, Art Evo Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
1990–92
Contemporary Norwegian Ceramics, Touring Exhibition: Keramion, Frechen,Germany; Kunstgewerbemuseum, Berlin, Germany; Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig, Germany; Polytechnic Gallery, Newcastle, UK; Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, UK; Crafts Council, Dublin, Ireland; Arts Council Gallery, Belfast, Ireland; World Expo, Seville, Spain; Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY; National Museum of Ceramic Art, Baltimore, MD
1991
47th Concorso Internazionale della Ceramica d’Arte, Faenza, Italy
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2008–11
External Examiner Royal College of Art, London, UK
2000-08
Professor and Head of Ceramics & Glass Departement at Konstfack – University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm, Sweden
1996-00
Professor and Head of Ceramic Art Departement at HDK – School of Design and Crafts, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
1998
Judge of the Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand
1985
Guest teacher, external examiner for diploma and special subject examinations, member of boards, member of appoinment boards for lectures/professors, Oslo, Norway
National Academy of Arts and Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway
AWARDS
2017
Grand Prize at the Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale (GICB2017), Rep. of Korea
2012
Prize for best art work, The Annual Exhibition of Arts and Crafts 2012, Norway
2010
Janet Mansfield Fellowship Award, Australia
2009
The Norwegian Association for Arts and Crafts Honourable Prize Ringebu Municipality Culture Prize
2008
Villeroy & Boch Gustavsberg ceramics grant
2001
Silver Prize, 1st World Ceramic Biennale 2001 (GICB2001), Rep. of Korea
1999
Premio Faenza, 1. prize in the 51. Premio Faenza Concorso Internationale, Italy
1997
Embryo 1997, awarded for the best art education in Sweden
Award of Merit, Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, New Zealand
1995
The Gudbrandsdalen Cultural Award
1993
Judge’s Commendation, Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, New Zealand
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2013
Veiteberg, Jorunn and Kerstin Wickman. Torbjørn Kvasbø Ceramics: Between the Possible and the Impossible, Arnoldsche Art Publishers.
2010
Harrod, Tanya. “The Everyday and the Numinous,” Contemporary British Studio Ceramics: The Grainer Collection, redigert av Annie Carlano, pp. 11–30. New Haven: Yale University Press.
2008
Battle, Michel. “Terres Extremes,” Ceramics Monthly, Vol. 55, April, pp. 20–22.
2007
Sempere, Emili and Arnold Annen. “Una exposició extraordinària,” Revista Cerámica Contemporania, no. 31, pp. 72–75.
Lambiotte, Maurice and Carole Andrèani. Contemporary Pottery: Collection Maurice Lambiotte, Paris: Norma, pp. 134–137.
2004
Dewald, Gabi. “Über das Unbezähmbare,” Keramik Magazin, no. 2, pp. 22–25.
Veiteberg, Jorunn. “Making the Invisible Visible,” Kunsthåndverk, no. 91, 1/2004, pp. 22–23.
Stensman, Mailis. “Brandens mästare,” Konsthantverk, no. 2, pp. 30–35.
2003
Kvasbø, Torbjørn. Ceramics, catalogue, Arendal: Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall.
2001
Jonson, Lotta. “The Universe of Clay,” Form, no. 4, pp. 62–67.
2000
Dewald, Gabi. “Ich habe keine Angst,” Keramik Magazin, no. 1, pp. 24–30.
Andreani, Carole. “Torbjørn Kvasbø: Une dramaturgie de l’homme et de la nature,” Revue Ceramique et du Verre, no. 113, July/August, pp. 34–39.
Brühl, Birgit. “Der Norweger Torbjørn Kvasbø,” Neue Keramik, no. 5 Sept/Oct., pp. 270–271.
Minogue, Coll and Sanderson, Robert. Wood-fired Ceramics Contemporary Practices, London: A & B Black, pp. 78–80.
1999
Veiteberg, Jorunn. “Torbjørn Kvasbø,” Kvasbø, Torbjørn and Veiteberg, Jorunn (eds.), 1999.
Norwegian Contemporary Ceramics, exhib. cat., Amsterdam under Ceramic Millenium, Leadership Congress for the Ceramic Arts, pp. 30–31.
1996
Broadwell, Carolyn. “Torbjørn Kvasbø,” Ceramic Art Magazine, no. 10, pp. 84–89. (Taiwan)
1993
Danbolt, Gunnar. “Between Nature and Civilisation. Ceramic Art of Torbjørn Kvasbø,” Ceramics: Art & Perception, no. 13, pp. 3–7, 89–91.
1992
Kvasbø, Torbjørn. “Don’t Ever Get a Steady Job,” Ceramics Monthly, April Issue, pp. 41–48.
MEMBERSHIPS
2018–24
President of the International Academy of Ceramics
2014–20
Vice President of the International Academy of Ceramics
2005–14
Member of the Council of the IAC
1990
Member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC)
1978
Norwegian Association of Arts and Crafts
COLLECTIONS
Arts Council Norway
Auckland Museum Institute, Auckland, New Zealand
Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Sedalia, MO
Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
Drammens Museum Dr. Anthony Rucela Collection, Kansas City, MO
Dr. Hans Thiemann Collection, Hamburg, Germany
Icheon World Ceramic Center, Icheon, South Korea
KODE Art Museums of Bergen, Norway
Leedy-Voulkos Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Lillehammer Art Museum, Norway
Lotte Reimers Stiftung Kunstzentrum, Deidesheim, Germany
Maurice Lambiotte Collection, Paris, France
Musée National Adrien Dubouché, Limoges, France
Mr. And Mrs. Inge Münz Collection, Saarbrücken, Germany
Mr. and Mrs. William Van Keppel Collection, Kansas City, MO
Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy
Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu Ceramics-Park Mino, Gifu, Japan
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden Norges Bank, London, UK
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Oppland County, Norway
Riksgalleriet, The National Touring Exhibitions of Norway
Ringebu Municipality, Norway
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway
The National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim, Norway
The Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, Sweden
Trondheim Municipality, Norway
Swedish Art Council, Sweden
SKMU Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiandsand, Norway
