Norwegian Ceramist and Designer: Konrad Galaaen’s Legacy

Konrad Galaaen (1923 – 2004) was a Norwegian ceramist and designer.

Education

From 1943 to 1947, he attended the Statens Håndverks—og Kunstindustriskole in Oslo (painting major and diploma from the ceramics major). In 1947, he won first prize in a competition announced by Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik for the students in the ceramics class at the Art and Industry School. The competition task was to design new vases. Galaaen finished his education in 1947 and, in 1948, was employed at Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik as a designer.

Biography

Konrad Galaaen worked as a designer at Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik for 43 years, and during his time at the factory, developed, among other things, the design classic Spire, which was in production for more than 30 years. This series has now been relaunched and redesigned to suit modern everyday life, true to Galaaen’s concept. Galaaen is also behind several other well-known Norwegian design classics. (Designer Konrad Galaaen, n.d.)

Porsgrund owes its distinctive style to the efforts of talented designers like Konrad Galaaen, Eystein Sandnes, and Tias Eckhogg. Their dedication to the craft has helped the factory produce products with simple yet elegant shapes and impeccable finishes. The company’s high standards are clear in every piece they create, as shown by the many gold medals awarded at various Triennali events.  (Zahle, 1963)

Recognition for Konrad Galaaen

In 1957, he received the Mark for good design for one of his ashtrays. In 1962, he won a gold medal at the International Ceramic Exhibition in Prague.

Sources

Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL

Designer Konrad Galaaen. (n.d.). Designer Konrad Galaaen. Retrieved April 25, 2023, from https://www.porsgrund.com/konrad-galaaen

Konrad Galaaen. (December 16, 2022). Wikipedia . Retrieved 25 April 2023 at 03:08 from https://no.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Konrad_Galaaen&oldid=23177633 .

Zahle. (1963). Scandinavian Domestic Design (pp. 48–48). Methuen & Co. Ltd. https://archive.org/details/scandinaviandome0000erik/page/48/mode/2up?q=%22Konrad+Galaaen%22

More on Ceramic Designers

More design articles

• Porsgrund Porselænsfabrik, the largest Porcelain factory in Norway
• Memphis: Cucumber Vase
• Clay: Contemporary Ceramic Artisans (hardcover)
• Contemporary Ceramics
• Contemporary British Ceramics and the Influence of Sculpture: Monuments, Multiples, Destruction and Display