Various
Unmittelbar, dringend, ungeduldig
Die gestalterische Unerschrockenheit der Keramikerin Elisabeth Langsch
- category
- Honorary Appreciation
jury statement
★
Switzerland /// Schweiz
★
The Swiss ceramic artist Elisabeth Langsch (1933–2025) created a body of work that broke with convention. Determined to work with clay from an early age, she faced the restriction that women were not allowed to use the potter’s wheel. As a result, she trained as a ceramic painter. In 1958, she opened her own workshop and was awarded for her ceramic wall piece at the second Swiss Exhibition of Women’s Work (SAFFA).
For the first time, a monograph with a comprehensive catalogue documents Langsch’s diverse practice, offering a multifaceted portrait of her personality and biography. The book places her work in the context of the ongoing renaissance of ceramics in architecture, design, and art, while also considering her early defiance of conventions. Langsch’s career demonstrated an unwavering commitment to independence and experimentation, continually pushing the boundaries of clay as materia prima. Her many site-specific works reflect this innovative spirit.
This is mirrored – alongside the title of the monograph, Unmittelbar, dringend, ungeduldig (“Immediate, Urgent, Impatient”) – in the design of the book itself. With its compact format, softcover, and protective dust jacket, it eschews the typical monograph presentation. The artist is not placed on a pedestal but instead shown as part of her work and process.
The bold cover, with a ceramic detail on the dust jacket, creates an immediate visual impact. Inside, nearly all images are printed full bleed, showcasing intricate details and archival photographs. Image sequencing is key to the publication: the careful arrangement of works creates a beautiful rhythm that guides the reader through the book and allows the material to unfold gradually. The Otabind binding ensures the book opens fully, enhancing the reading experience. The clean, sans-serif typography takes on a supporting role in this case, reinforcing clarity and restraint while allowing the images and their sequence to lead. Thoughtful in every detail, the design of the book mirrors Langsch’s own unflinching dedication to her work.
