Thomas Bohle "Chibi-Toh"

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Artists

Thomas Bohle

The Austrian ceramist Thomas Bohle works in Dornbirn, located in the Alpine Rhine Valley of Austria. Originally a trained nurse, he switched careers in his thirties and did not take long to establish his very special style.

A main characteristic of a Bohle-Bowl is its form. The highly pronounced curves lend a futuristic tone to a sophisticatedly balanced object. It is glazed in organic colours, such as the passionate crimson of ox-blood or the icy translucent celadon (both are traditional Chinese glaze). Various colours and textures blend in harmony, sometimes integrating even uncontrollable drops or cracks in the glaze. Bohle uses a sophisticated technique called a "double structure wall" to recreate an architectural image that consists of space both within the piece as well as outside. The hollow space between the two surfaces causes the unexpected lightness of the pieces.

Over 50 small pieces will be presented in this exhibition "Chibi-Toh" (tiny ceramic in Japanese). Bohle regards his Chibi-Toh pieces as small sisters of his large pieces and applies his uncompromising technique used to produce large pieces to his Chibi-Toh creations. For each Chibi-Toh he uses exactly 500g of clay, shaping it into various colourful forms without using a mold. Chibi-Toh, a mere 12 centimetres in diameter, is a condensed expression of Thomas Bohle's art, each piece possessing its unique character. It can be a source of inspiration to turn to in one's daily life.