The participants of the workshop were master students in ceramics. Clay is a flexible material, and certain methods common in Bangladesh differ from the Norwegian practice. During the workshop participants were introduced to several new techniques of working with clay. Linda Lothe took the opportunity to obtain inspiration and ideas from the students in Bangladesh.
The theme for the workshop was formation of vases, one of Lothe’s specialties. The vases were made out of two parts that were put together and decorated. Lothe has many years of experience with ceramic art, and this was a great opportunity for her to share some of this experience with upcoming artists in Bangladesh.
In addition to the Dhaka event, Lothe conducted a one day workshop in Chittagong for sculpture students. The students were introduced to the technique of using foam rubber for making a surface with bubbles. A thin layer of clay is put on top of a piece of foam rubber, and the fingers press small pits in the clay. When the foam rubber is removed, it leaves small bubbles on the other side. This technique resulted in many creative figures, such as crocodiles, party dresses and more.
Lothe’s stay in Bangladesh was part of the program for the “Contemporary Glass and Ceramics” exhibition that was held at Bengal Gallery of Fine Art in Dhaka. Lothe was one of 27 artists contributing to the exhibition. It is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and previous venues include Beijing, Singapore, Berlin, Tokyo, Sidney and Helsinki. The inauguration ceremony was held for full house, and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Norwegian Ambassador Ingebjørg Støfring and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xianyi were present. Now the exhibition is on its way to the next destination; Kathmandu.