The collection are exhibited at our art space in Ruseløkkveien 30 until December 4th. Opening hours are weekdays from 10:00 to 17:00, and the first weekend of December from 12:00 to 16:00.

View the artworks

Stein på Stein / Stone on Stone

"I find joy at the intersection where I can play with both sculpture and product," Dahl reflects.

Her inspiration comes from a fascination with universal themes, such as scent and stone, and this fascination has evolved into an reaserch of the natural world.

For the new Atelie Editions Kaja has applied the silk screen printing teqnique to marble creating one of the most unique editions so far. There is a fascinating element to Kaja Dahl's project "Stein på Stein". The contrast between the raw, unprocessed stone she observes and studies, and the polished, processed marble that serves as the canvas for silk screen printing, creates a compelling dynamic. It's a dialogue between the raw and the refined, between nature's organic forms and humanity's manipulation of natural materials. The works will be exhibited together with silk prints on paper and sketches from the process.

The project “Stein på Stein” was inspired by a rock formation near the woods of her childhood, which she stumbled upon while exploring an unfamiliar area.

"There it was, in a pool in a small river, almost in a ravine surrounded by untouched forest," Dahl says.

We had a talk with Kaja to get to know her artistry better:

Tell us a bit about your artistic journey:

As a graduate in Product Design with a specialization in craft design, I have always been particularly fascinated by materials and their properties when approaching a new project. Prior to specializing in design, I studied sculpture and classical art for a couple of years, which heavily influenced my approach to objects. My design works are strongly influenced by sculpture, while my art projects are influenced by design methods and the concept of underlying functionality. I thrive in the intersection where I can play with both sculpture and product design.

What inspired you to become an artist?

I have a penchant for universal yet complex subjects, such as the themes of scent, which I have worked with extensively in the past, and the material of stone. Everyone has a relationship with these things and their own memories and stories to share. It might be/Perhaps it is precisely this ability to connect with others that motivates me the most when I try to create a visual language through materials.

How do you approach a project and work on it?

When working on projects, I enjoy creating stories and artworks where viewers can discover more and more by examining and observing my work multiple times, in different lighting, from various angles, or upon closer inspection.

And how did you approach this project?

In this project called 'Stein på Stein' the idea of layering is crucial, where different techniques, angles, and observations of the same subject create a new image.

Since I find rocks so fascinating, it became the theme for this invitation to create a print for Atelie. Here, I chose a stone block that I wouldn't process but would observe and study. This allowed me to explore a completely different subject than when I'm carving. When the material provides so many cues, I allow myself to work very intuitively, with no other goal than to translate my fascination into the chosen technique. In this case, silk screen printing on paper and silk screen printing on marble slabs. The beautiful and complex block, located in a river near my childhood forest, accidentally became the subject of this exhibition when I explored an area I hadn't ventured into before. It lies in a pool in a small river, almost in a little gorge with untouched forest around.

The result is silk screen prints based on studies of the stone in the river and a 'portrait' of a stone collected in the river on various types of marble from Italy and Norway. Essentially, I'm just saying, 'look at what I found, isn't nature magical!?'"

Kaja Dahl (b.1984, Oslo) has a master's degree in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship from ECAL in Switzerland and a bachelor's degree in Product and Interior Design from Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm. She works with various materials such as raw stone, terracotta, glass and porcelain, and creates sculptures that respond to a desire to enhance the sensual relationship humans have with the natural materials around them. With techniques that cross between craftsmanship and product design, Dahl creates unique and tactile works with a characteristic aesthetic sensibility. Dahl has been based in Oslo since 2019 after a number of years with design-related projects and residencies abroad.

Previous exhibitions include QB Gallery (2022), DOGA, Oslo (2020), Galleri Format (2020), Gallery Sorgenfri (2019), Dubai Art Week, Dubai (2019), New York Design Week, New York (2018) and Rosanna Orlandi , Milan (2018). Dahl is winner of the BoBedre Design Award (2020), Norwegian Young Talent Award (2016), and Materia Newcomer (2016). Dahl's work is part of a number of private and public collections, and has been purchased by, among others, the National Museum.