The work of Olav Slingerland holds a special place in the collection of Gallery Terra Delft. His use of bright colors and clear forms is a combination of craftsmanship and design. The objects are affordable, sometimes functional, and lend themselves readily to combinations: the settings.
His series ‘Drops’ is new and exceptional; time for a solo presentation at Terra Delft!
Slingerland: “In a word dominated by reproductions, my work must continually justify itself in actual situations. Form, material, dimensions and placement become even more essential.
By pouring into molds, I can make small to mid-size series which still show the hand of the maker through varying kinds of finishing touches. Through repetition of the products in different settings I enable a new image to emerge each time, a complete composition with the same clear design as the individual products themselves.
As in ‘Dot Circle’, a setting of pointed bowls on the wall. The pointed bowl plays with a distortion in depth which is emphasized by the flow of the glaze. The setting of the pointed bowls in ‘Dot Circle’ repeats the optical distortion, both in detail and in the whole picture.
‘Drops’ is a series of platters developed in collaboration with designer Jacqueline Heidanus, who is specialized in pattern design. Together we searched for a way of giving the platters a ‘second skin’ by starting with the material and pouring techniques. Because we worked together closely from the beginning of the process, the creation of the series of platters reflect the merging of the two disciplines and how they strengthen each other. Working the mold by hand results in a relief of ‘drops’ in different patterns. These drops, combined with the color gradiants in the glaze, result in a unique platter with changing optical effects.”
Setting 'Dot Circle', 48 parts wall piece