Petra Lindenbauer

Ceramicist

©Paul Siegl

©Nadja Meister

©Petra Lindenbauer

Learning to let go

Petra follows an East Asian formal tradition
She creates unique and small series of tableware
She seeks to emphasis the qualities of the material

Growing up as the daughter of a wood and stone sculptor, manual creation has always been part of Petra Lindenbauer’s world. “After school, I did my homework in my father's studio. As soon as I was finished, I opened the chest where the clay was kept for making models. From this clay, which was often dirty and coarse, just like a sculptor needs, I made vessels and small reliefs, which my father then cast in plaster. "Soon, Petra developed a strong connection to material and consequently started her education at the Department for Ceramic Arts of the Ortwein School in Graz, followed by studies in the History of Arts and Classical Archaeology at the University of Vienna. Under the guidance of a Japanese Master, Petra further refined her knowledge and developed an artistic expression that brings together Eastern Asian techniques with a Central European understanding of forms.

Interview

©Petra Lindenbauer

©Petra Lindenbauer

Do you feel connected to a local tradition?: I don't feel at all connected to the ceramic tradition in our latitudes, which is good in a way, because this shortcoming has allowed me to be open to other sources of inspiration. This has liberated my work from many constraints.
What is it that still fascinates you?: I am fascinated, after many years of work, by how much the material itself contributes to the result. I deliberately do not set a design from the beginning. Instead, I give the material, with all its properties and peculiarities, space to express its inherent energy in the piece.
How did you start creating tableware?: A good friend asked me to create tableware for her, which I refused at first because the subject didn't appeal to me as an artist. However, I realised how my artistic approach, combined with craftsmanship, made for interesting pieces.
Is ceramics in danger of being forgotten?: The craft itself not, there are many people that work with clay as a hobby or as a profession. But the knowledge behind it: about glazes, raw materials, kilns, firing techniques, art-historical knowledge, these are areas that are increasingly being forgotten or no longer taught.

Petra Lindenbauer is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1990