Torunn Måseidvåg – keramikk

I have a Cand.philol. degree from the University of Oslo, Norway, with a major in ethnology. Since completing my education, I have combined working as a potter and as an ethnologist.

I have been involved in reseach projects, worked with cultural heritage on many levels, done photography assignements and different kinds of writing tasks. My areas of expertise are coastal heritage, traditional buildings, industrial heritage and folk art. In 2007-2008 I was a project coordinator for On the Edge, an art and cultural programme connected to Stavanger2008 European Capital of Culture.

• See my report on museums connecting with their local community here.
• See my article on the Jærhus project, published by Stavanger Museum in 2001 here.
• See my article on Nærlandheimen, published by Jærmuseet 2000, here.
• See the programme of On the Egde here.

As a trained potter, I work with transformation of cultural heritage from a more hands on point of view.

Most of the time I throw cups, bowls and plates and so on. And I love it! But luckily I have also had the opportunity to try different approaches to working with clay too.

The largest task was a Land Art project commisioned by Sandnes municipality. The Gramstad Boat, made in collaboration with the Danish willow artist Birgit Gehl Østergaard-Jensen and PileByg a/s, was a pleasure to do. Read more here. 

With a scholarship from the county of Rogaland, I have been able to study the collections of regional museums in search of new patterns to be inspired by in my own work. And for two years, in 2009 og 2010, I have had a scholarship from Arts Council Norway to study international folk art, and to see how this knowledge can influence my own work.