David Louveau
David Louveau is a ceramic artist living and working in Sweden. He approaches his work like a Butoh dancer, accepting impulses and trusting his instincts.
If you had access to all the powers, how would you improve the world?
I would ask myself: What is this? Then sit down and keep my ego at work by practicing the Korean Sŏn Wadou, and perhaps I will arrive at a stage where I can forget this illusion of power.
What are the biggest sustainability challenges in your work and how are you addressing them?
To keep doing the same work the same way without any doubt. I try be disciplined to not put my pieces first and work too much.
Which conscious lifestyle choices are you making? and are you considering any new ones?
I have been living on the countryside for the last for 30 years, sometimes without electricity. I try to wake up at 3:30 am at least 6 times a week to drink tea, make fire, practice meditation and ashtanga yoga. At 8:00 am I have breakfast and take care of the animals, the vegetables, the house, and after all this I start working on my pieces in the studio.
What have you rebelled against in the past, and what are you rebelling against now?
In the past I rebelled against respecting rules blindly. Now I rebel by sharing happiness and the respect for nature and life.
Do you think dishware can still be improved? If yes, in what way?
Yes. First of all by keeping our crafts culture alive, and by steadily improving the process until we reach balance.
What was the inspiration for your Steinbeisser pieces?
Creating ecological sacral vessels that last a lifetime.
Describe your work in 3 words!
Butoh. Pulpy. Mineral.
What kind of materials do you use and where do you get them from?
Granite stones and sands in Sweden. Artisan mineral water from our ground. Firing with wood from our local bjork and pine trees.
What has been your favorite dinner experience?
A dinner in South Korea close to the sea with raw seafood, fish and fermented vegetables all over the table, it was almost a mystical experience.
What excites you about tomorrow?
The unknown, the pursuit of my crafts and meeting people.