Malene Hartmann Rasmussen is a Danish artist who creates narrative figurative sculpture and installations. A recurring theme in her work is forest and the mythological creatures that lurk in dark woods. She weaves together memories, daydreams and childhood nostalgia, forming a fairy-tale of her own making.
Hartmann Rasmussen’s interest in the forest stems from its recurrence in European literature and myth, ancient cults, pagan rituals, and as a metaphor for the hidden realms of the unconscious mind. Comprising a number of elaborate fragments, she creates tableaux of visual excess through which she evokes an emotional response in the viewer, kick-starting the imagination.
Her work draws on the idea of animism: that animals and plants have souls and that rivers, mountains and rocks, if not actually alive, are in some way sentient. She is interested in the human subconscious and strives to create a hyper-real world that addresses this gap between perception and reality.
Her ornate ceramics may initially appear excessively sweet, but upon closer inspection reveal themselves as impossible and absurd objects, imbued with the artist’s own dark narrative. As a form of catharsis, the artist tries to exorcise misery, anger, and grief – as if they were demons – emotions which relate to the loss of her father and mother and memories of a time now passed.
EXHIBITIONS
'Fieldwork - in the footsteps of Gertrud Kudielka', Hjorths Keramikfabrik, Bornholms Museum, Rønne, Denmark (2024)
London Art Fair, TIN MAN ART, London (2024)
'Tales from the Riverbank' TIN MAN ART, London (2023)
Malene Hartmann Rasmussen, Galerie Wolfsen, Aalborg, Denmark (2022)
New Work, Messums London, United Kingdom (2019)
Waldeinsamkeit, Solo show, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (2016)
Malene Hartmann Rasmussen & Mariette van der Ven”, Terra, Delft, The Netherlands (2016)
I Skovens Dybe Stille Uro”, Officinet, Copenhagen, Denmark (2015)
Nightfall, Solo show at Jessica Carlisle, London, United Kingdom (2014)
Malene Hartmann Rasmussen & June Jin, Galerie Contour, Aalbæk, Denmark (2011)
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Påske Udstilling (Easter Exhibition), Group show, Galerie Wolfsen, Aalborg, Denmark (2023)
PAD Paris, Daguet-Bresson, Paris, France (2023)
Art Herning with Galerie Wolfsen, Herning, Denmark (2023)
Christian Louboutin L'exhibition[iste], Grimaldi Forum, Monaco (2022)
'You Know Who', Abdulmecit Efendi Köşkü, Istanbul, Türkiye (2022)
Figuriner, Hjorths - Bornholms Museum, Rønne, Denmark(2022)
Group exhibition, Galerie Wolfsen, Aalborg, Denmark (2022)
Cat, Specta, Copenhagen, Denmark (2022)
'Nature. Traces & Reflections', CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark, Middelfart, Denmark (2022)
'Clay Paper Scissors', Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (2021)
'More Organics', Keramiekcentrum Tiendschuur Tegelen, Tegelen, The Netherlands (2021)
Christian Louboutin L'exhibition[iste], Palais de la Porte Dorée, Paris (2020)
'Beyond the Vessel; Narratives in Contemporary European Ceramics', Messums Wiltshire, UK (2020)
'New Positions', Simone DeSousa Gallery, Detroit, USA (2020)
'Beyond the Vessel; Myths and Metamorphosis in Contemporary Ceramics', Mesher, Istanbul (2019)
Zarte Flügel, Dicke Brummer, Museum Keramion, Frechen, Germany (2019)
'Black Celebration', V&A, London, UK (2018)
'Dialogues Through Time', Tresor, Wildt'sches Haus, Basel, Switzerland (2018)
Homo Faber, Michelangelo Foundation, Fondazione Giorgio Cine, Venice, Italy (2018)
Window Installation at Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, United Kingdom (2018)
'Material: Earth 2: Myths, Materials and Metamorphoses', Messums Wiltshire, UK (2018)
Award, British Ceramics Biennial, Stoke-on-Trent, UK (2017)
'C’est le Bouquet! (Flower Power!)', Fondation Bernardaud, Limoges, France (2017)
'Material - Part 1: Earth - the New British Clay Movement', Messums Wiltshire, UK (2017)
Collect, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK (2017)
London Art Fair, Jessica Carlisle, London, UK (2017)
Fire Works, Gallery S O, London, UK (2017)
Carter Preston Prize, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, UK (2016)
'In the Dead of Night', Jessica Carlisle, London, UK (2016)
London Art Fair, Jessica Carlisle, London, UK (2016)
Jerwood Makers Open 2015, Jerwood Visual Arts, London, UK (2015)
Jerwood Makers Open 2015 on tour: The Gallery at Plymouth College of Art
Ruthin Crafts Centre, Touchstones Rochdale (2015)
'Animism', Jessica Carlisle Gallery, London, UK (2015)
European Prize for Applied Arts 2015, WCC-BF, Mons, Belgium (2015)
'Many a Slip', Marsden Woo Gallery, London, UK (2015)
59th Faenza Prize - International Competition of Contemporary Ceramic Art 2015, Faenza, Italy (2015)
Craft Emergency 2014, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth,UK (2014)
House of St Barnabas, Soho, London, UK (2014)
La XXIIIème Biennale Internationale de Céramique de Vallauris, Vallauris, France (2014)
Officine Saffi - International Competition for Ceramics and Design, Milan, Italy (2014)
'Fantastic Tales', The Ceramic House 2014, Brighton, UK (2014)
Wonderland, Milton Keynes Art Center, Milton Keynes, UK (2013)
Award, British Ceramics Biennial 2013, The Potteries Museum & Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK (2013)
Craft and Design Biennale, Rundetårn, Copenhagen, Denmark (2013)
'Happy Christmas Clay', Puls Contemporary Ceramics, Brussels, Belgium (2012)
'This Is How To Live: The National Trust', Red House, London, UK (2012)
The National Trust, 2 Willow Road, London, UK (2012)
Nature, VEGAS, London, UK (2012)
Public sculpture for Ringsted Musik -og Kulturskole, Ringsted, Denmark (2011)
“Designersblock, London Design Festival 2011, London, UK (2011)
Mint Explores, London Design Festival 2011, Mint, London, UK (2011)
New Designers 2011, London, UK (2011)
Skulpturbiennale 2010, Kongens Have, Copenhagen, Denmark (2010)
'Out of Practice', Siobhan Davies Studios, London, UK (2010)
Tea set for architect Terunobu Fujimori´s “Beetle´s House”,”1:1 Architects Build Small Spaces, V&A, London, UK (2010)
Ceramica Multiplex Triennale, Varazdin, Croatia (2010)
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
2020 Antler Helmet acquired by Aberdeen Art Gallery, UK
My Inner Beast no 3 acquired by Harris Museum, Preston, UK
2019 Nightfall acquired by Swindon Museum, Swindon, UK
International Ceramic Research Center Guldagergård´s permanent collection, Skælskør, Denmark
Ringsted Musik -og Kulturskole, Ringsted, Denmark
AWARDS
“Jerwood Makers Open 2015” (2015)
Nomination “Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon Prize” (2014/2015)
Winner of “Craft Emergency 2014”, Aspex Gallery Portsmouth (2014)
Statens Kunstfond (Danish Arts Council Grant)
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
Artist Residency, Hjorths Fabrik, Bornholms Museum, Rønne, Denmark (2022)
Artist Residency, Danish Arts Council, Detroit, USA (2020)
Danish Ceramics Residency, V&A, London, UK (2018)
Public sculpture commission for Ringsted Musik-og Kulturskole (Music school in Danish town Ringsted) (2011)
Invited Guest Artist International Ceramic Research Center Guldagergaard, Skælskør, Denmark (2011/2016)
EDUCATION
2009-2011 MA Ceramics & Glass, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2006-2009 BA Ceramics from Glas & Keramikskolen på Bornholm (now The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design, Bornholm), Nexø, Denmark