TraustiValsson–Color,OrnamentandZestforlife

Ceramic works by Trausti Valsson, architect and urban planner, are on display in the space Behind the Scenes, where works by Einar Þorsteins Ásgeirssonar are being archived; Trausti and Einar were close friends.

The exhibition opens on Trausti’s 80th birthday, January 7, and runs for five days. Trausti has long worked on the creation of ornamental pieces alongside his design and academic work. Throughout world history, richly colored ornament has been an important element in the design of buildings, furniture, and everyday objects. Trausti misses  the presence of color and ornament in architecture today. In 2023, he began translating his ornaments onto ceramic plates.

The works are, among other things, inspired by the theories of the architect Christopher Alexander (1936-2022), author of The Nature of Order. One of the things he explored was the feeling geometric forms can create.

In Trausti’s works, beauty takes center stage, and the intention is to create something beautiful.