July 9th 2024.
Lotte Glob, a renowned potter and ceramicist from Denmark, has captured the hearts of many with her unique artistic works. As she celebrates her 80th year, An Talla Solais in Ullapool takes a closer look at Glob's creative process, influences, and her journey as a sculptor. The exhibition, which runs until 28 July, is thoughtfully curated by writer LG Thomson, who shares her perspective on Glob's captivating pieces.
When I step into an art gallery or exhibition, I always hope to experience something special. I want to be moved emotionally, to have my perceptions challenged, and to leave feeling different than when I arrived. It may seem like a tall order, but when it does happen, it is a truly transformative experience. Just like the transformative process of firing clay in a kiln at extremely high temperatures, which is exactly what Lotte Glob does at her sculpture croft in Durness, Sutherland.
Encountering a work of art, listening to music, or reading a poem is never a solitary experience. We are always accompanied by our own thoughts, memories, and emotions. When I visited Lotte's sculpture croft earlier this year, I was carrying a lot of mental baggage with me - deadlines to meet, unresolved issues - but the moment I entered her world, all of it faded away. It was like shedding a layer of skin and emerging anew, free from any hindrances or distractions.
Just as Prometheus was said to have molded humans from clay, Lotte Glob creates her ceramic creatures from the very land that surrounds her. As I wandered through her landscape, I felt like I was exploring hidden worlds within our own. Planets shaped like onions revolve around each other in shades of blue, while long stacks of blue stones seem to engage in conversations. A trail of ceramic books leads to a circular stone library, open to the sky and filled with ancient-looking tomes that hold the wisdom of the ages and the secrets of alchemy.
Two towers made of green glass blocks rise up from the boggy grounds, giving off a sense of being in a primitive, experimental new town. Nearby, a small, heavily glazed figure lies on its back, roaring at the sky like a forgotten toy in a playground. While some of the pieces appear to be placed in the landscape, others seem to have erupted from the soil, glowing a heavenly blue amidst the heather. Sinister-looking ceramic triffids and a tall structure that appears to be part-tin man and part-insect complete the scene. And instead of a yellow brick road, there is a path of azure and sapphire tiles that winds through the broom like a flowing stream.
I am drawn to an urn that encircles the base of a tree trunk, and a group of slender individuals in shades of turquoise and deep marine that resemble pitcher plants. But it is the creatures that truly capture my attention - each one with its own distinct personality. Some are large and bold, like guardians, while others crouch close to the earth, scurrying through the undergrowth. Two beasts with short legs and long necks lean into each other, while earth barnacles sing from the rocks. But one particular creature pulls me in with its gravitational force - a globular organism atop a plinth, inviting me into its anatomically strange interior. I feel like Jonah, swallowed by a whale, as I pull away and spot a tiny round creature with big blue eyes and a fish-like mouth that seems to be laughing with me. In this place, there is an overwhelming sense of joy.
There is an undeniable honesty and soul in Lotte Glob's work. Just like Prometheus, she is a master craftsman and a god of fire. She is an experimental artist who fires rocks, sediment, bones, earth, glass, metal, and even entire boulders in her kiln. She believes that a piece is not complete until it has gone through the fire, but it is Glob who brings it to life. She is the bridge between the earth and the fire. With over six decades of experience, she has perfected her glazes and now, in her 80th year, she proudly displays her work at An Talla Solais in Ullapool.
"Primordial Life from the Loch" features a diverse collection of etchings, drawings, and tiles, along with a stunning display of glazed bowls. But it is the creatures that dominate the gallery space, giving off the feeling of a gathering rather than a traditional art exhibition. It is almost as if Glob has called them here, and their energy is so infectious that it feels like they might come to life and throw a wild party after the doors are locked at night. The etchings seem to vibrate, the drawings swirl, and the glazes, fired in wood-burning kilns, return to a liquid state, pouring down the walls and onto the floor like molten lava. And as the party continues all night long, everything falls back into place just as the door is unlocked in the morning.
Forget everything you know about art - what to like and how to like it. Forget that you read this, ignore the noise in your head, and whatever it is you're supposed to be doing. Instead, treat yourself to a visit to An Talla Solais and let yourself surrender to the elemental joys of "Primordial Life from the Loch."
This exhibition is sponsored by Creative Scotland and the Henry Moore Foundation. LG Thomson, the author and artist who currently resides in Ullapool, has contributed her writing to various literary publications, including Art North, Epoch Press, and the Urban Pigs Hunger anthology. To read more cultural stories, click here and subscribe to the latest issue of Scottish Field.
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