Remains

About the Exhibition

“Remains” is a series of ceramic sculptures made from pieces of clay with web-like elements. In addition to abstract forms, the sculptures feature figurative forms: plants, insects, or molluscs. I think that my sculptures are alternative embodiments of a kind – layers of memories, materials, and forms. They are beings revealing landscapes and sensations of a world in decline – much like its perishing species.

In addition to clay, water also plays a vital role in my works, and I’ve also used water in my previous exhibitions. Water itself is an essential source of life, or through draught and flooding, a force of destruction. My sculptures also experiment with the concept of a fountain by manipulating the colour or texture of the water.

The slow, multi-stage process of working with ceramics provides a contrast to the fast-paced contemporary, digital world. The practice demands presence and careful interaction. The most fascinating part is the moulding itself: connecting through the hands and immersing in the material’s potential. My work is continually inspired by the richness of nature, inviting exploration, observation, and wonder.

The exhibition is supported by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland. The Finnish Heritage Agency has supported the payment of artist’s exhibition fee.

Katri Paunu

Katri Paunu (b. 1993) is a sculptor whose work is based on ceramics as a material and process. Paunu’s work is centered on the hand molding methos of clay and the combination of sculpture, painting, and spatial elements in her works. She is intrigued by the way in which the ontological – the nature of being – and the organic are expressed in forms, structures, and space.

Paunu studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Fine Arts in the Netherlands and at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Oslo, where she graduated with the Master of Arts degree in 2021. She has participated in exhibitions in Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, including a solo exhibition at the Rauma Art Museum in 2023. In 2025, Paunu will be working at EKWC, a ceramics residency in the Netherlands. Paunu lives and works in Rauma.