Solid Ground

‘A well-kept ceramic item will last almost forever, and as an eternal item, it should stay in fashion for a long time and not be a passing whim’, says ceramicist Nathalie Lautenbacher.

Lautenbacher's book Solid Ground presents and is inspired by contemporary ceramics. Solid Ground introduces contemporary ceramics and reflects upon the world around it. Essays by leading writers and researchers build bridges between art, science, and life as they reflect on the nature of ceramics, its introduction, and its influence on culture, as well as the challenges of the material world today.

Essays are written by a group of authors: Nathalie Lautenbacher, Kari Enqvist, Janne Saarikivi, Hannu Väisänen, Juhani Pallasmaa, Harri Kalha, Mikko Jalas, Tuuli Mattelmäki, Tarja-Kaarina Laamanen and Maarit Mäkelä.

Images of works by contemporary ceramicists inspire us to see the beauty of the material world and its profound meanings. These spell-binding works of art show how versatile Earth's modest materials can be in capable hands.

‘The birth of ceramics is a key innovation that has shaped human communities and lifestyles’, states one of the authors, Janne Saarikivi.