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 in 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. Thus, the uniqueness of each piece is clearly established and emphasized.
Bohle uses a sophisticated technique called "double structure wall", re-creating 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. So when trying to lift one of Bohle's pieces, we experience a refreshing surprise.
Bohle produces his pieces, which impact their spectators through their immense presence, in a mountain area of Western Austria, where nature and people live in unison. Bohle says:
"Every motif I use is taken from nature. I perceive scenes of nature, such as trees covered with moss, rotting leaves, a spring of water... I only reproduce them in pottery."
On the quest for his very own form, he does not stop at the established limits of ceramic craftsmanship. His excellent technical skills have been highly praised both in European and Asian countries. Let it be mentioned that one of his large pieces won the distinguished Bayern Award in Europe, where pottery traditionally is seen as a craft rather than an art.
In the exhibition "Chibi-Toh", starting on the 1st of January 2008, over 50 small pieces will be presented. It will be Thomas Bohle's 3rd exhibition in Tokyo following "Ya Shi"(2004, his first exhibition in Asia) and "PINK"(2006, collaboration with Chinese artist Zhang Shaojun).
Bohle regards his Chibi-Toh (means tiny ceramic in Japanese) pieces as small sisters of his large pieces. Bohle, whose uncompromising technique allows him to produce large pieces of over 1m in diameter, is intrigued by the process of applying it to his tiny 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 Bphle's art, each piece possessing its unique character. It can be a source of inspiration to turn to in one's daily life.