The Magic of Ordinary Things- a conversation with Nellie Jonsson and Tonje Paus
By Benjamin Apse
During my internship at SKOG Art Space, I've had the privilege of talking with artists in Oslo. Among them where the ceramists Tonje Paus and Nellie Jonsson. They both studied at Kunsthøgskolen in Oslo and currently co-share the art studio "Klumpen", alongside other artists.
It was a sunlit day in late March when I made my visit. For quite some time, I've been intrested in understanding the part of being an active artist in Oslo, both the practical aspects and the lifestyle. After some pleasantries, our discussion dove into their artistic journeys and their perspectives on art.
Tonje expressed that the idea of being an artist was never part of her plans. She hails from a family whose focus leaned more towards academia than the arts. Prior to persuing
her own artistic endeavours, Tonje didn't feel a strong sense of belonging to the art world. Her journey led her to Spain where, somewhat coincidental, she discovered ceramics. This marked a pivotal moment from which there was no turning back. Tonje reflected on how her encounter with clay reshaped her perceptions of the world, light, and all points of reference seemed to come back to clay.
During her time in Spain, Tonje supported herself through her ceramic work, which deepened her experience and curiosity in the medium. Over time, like many artists, she honed her distinctive style in which she is recognized for. Tonje holds a keen interest in the societal hierarchy surrounding materials and the themes encapsulating objects. She examines how seemingly "insignificant" objects acquire heightened "significance" when crafted from more valued materials.
Nellie Jonsson, on the other hand, had been involved with art from a young age. For her, the idea of becoming an artist wasn't a question of if, but rather of how. Hailing from Sweden, Nellie talked about how the pressure at her school emphasized that it served as a stepping stone towards further artistic education at Sweden's primary institutions. Following her schooling, Nellie put her efforts towards engaging in various projects, which contributed to the development of a well-rounded portfolio. She applied to numerous art schools before eventually finding her place at Kunsthøgskolen in Oslo. Her crafted portfolio played a role in securing her an interview for the ceramics program. During the interview, Nellie presented a figurative prototype of a cat. Nellie tells how initially she didn't really believe it had gone that
well and was somewhat pleasantly surprised when she was offered a spot at Kunsthøgskolen.
The first thing one notices about Nellies art is how everyday objects takes a more playful existences by the strong colour and the dynamic shape. Nellie enjoyes looking at the everyday objects that surround us and turn them into somthing memorable. She likes to play with the mundane nature of certain objects. For her every object might be the subject of somthing that causes a felling or a memory. Through her art one can reflect on the objects themselves, but also around the objects that we are constantly surrounded by.
What’s intresting is the fact that despite Nellie and Tonje having different artistic journeys, they both find enjoyment in ordinary things. In our current day we are surrounded by mass prodused objects and its easy then for us to look at materials as disposable. Nellie and Tonje addresses these ideas by saying that ordinary objects do have value. For when we find value in the ordianry things its easier for us to care about our surroundings.