THE DANCE BETWEEN CLAY AND FINGERTIPS

With its almost 1 million Instagram followers, Tortus is one of the leading ceramic studios in the world – and behind it all is Eric Landon. He cultivates slowness, focusing on a simple, yet complex relationship. The one that occurs between the gentle movements of his fingers and the rotating wet clay.

Since Eric Landon was awarded the Danish Design Award for Craftsman of the Year in 2015, his ceramic studio, Tortus, has been heading only one way, and that is forward. – In the past years, Tortus has shifted his focus from handmade production to teaching. Interest in ceramics has boomed in the past decade, inspiring many to learn the craft themselves. After receiving a host of requests, I decided to try teaching six years ago, and discovered that I love it! My growing passion for teaching motivated the opening of The Tortus School – our teaching and member studio in the heart of Copenhagen. However, I still make my own unique works in my private studio nearby.

– What do you find important to teach your students about ceramics?

– Ceramics has given me so much joy throughout my life, and it’s a pleasure to pass this joy on to my students. They often want a break from the computer screen, and some use it to relieve stress. We live in a complex world where everything has to go faster and faster. So people look for activities that can ground them, and that compel them to calm down. Pottery is the perfect remedy, and I believe that anyone can benefit from making ceramics. I’m proud of having developed learning methods that quickly give my students success at the potter’s wheel and thus the same sense of satisfaction I get when I produce my works. Few things can give you the same immediate satisfaction that handmaking things can. The results of your efforts are real, concrete and direct.

– What makes ceramics so special that you have made it a way of life?

– I have a holistic approach to teaching, based on respect for the material and the forces at stake at the wheel. My students learn to respect the will of the clay. They have to guide the clay in a direction instead of forcing, dominating or conquering it. My teaching hopefully serves as proof that the more respectful you are of the clay, the more it will give in return. I believe that most people can apply this learning to other aspects of life – to social interactions or to how we treat our environment. Creating ceramics can make us more thoughtful as humans. We look for more humanity in the things we surround ourselves with, for the converse of things that are mass-produced and have proven harmful to the environment. Handmade ceramics promote the kind of slowness we need. There is something perennial about ceramics, that beautifully contrasts a world where almost everything is temporary. It’s ironic how the high-tech information wave has amplified peoples’ awareness of handmade ceramics. Social media has increased the visual presence of craftsmanship and actually elevated its status. Most find it easier to relate to craftsmen than major brands, and people really want to support the creators. This is a beautiful example of how technology and conventional craftsmanship can go hand in hand.

– How does one know the difference between good and bad ceramics?

– What constitutes good ceramics to me might differ for someone else. I always look at the details and finish. For me, it’s important to be able to see the craftsman’s patience, the attention paid to every detail on the surface. To see that the object he makes really matters. I have to feel that the creator has pushed the boundaries of his own abilities and creativity.

WHEN YOU WATCH Eric Landon throw his vessels, you understand why almost a million people follow him on Instagram. With small, almost invisible movements, he transforms the clay into a multitude of stunning shapes. A SELECTION of Tortus’ unique vases with spectacular idioms.

AT THE LEFTIS Susanne Jensen, who handles all the administrative work at Tortus, Eric Landon stands in the middle, and seated is Franca Christophersen, an apprentice. THERE IS SOMETHING mesmerising about watching his hands as they steadily shape the rotating clay. A ROW of sculptural vessels and vases stand on the shelf, waiting to be fired. The pieces are made of different types of clay, which is why their colours vary. After firing, they will change colour and character yet again.