Per Weiss (1953–2023)

Danish ceramic artist – between Japanese tradition and Nordic modernism

Per Weiss was a distinctive Danish ceramic artist who brought together Japanese craft traditions, self-developed techniques and a Nordic visual language. Through large hand-thrown vessels, nuanced glazes and decorative ornamentation, he created a unique ceramic legacy that combined calmness, function and sculptural strength.

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Background and education

Per Weiss was born on 30 April 1953 in Frederiksværk. He trained at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in the 1970s and developed an early interest in ceramics as an artistic medium. During a leave of absence, he studied under the Japanese master ceramicist Yosiga Taibi, which became a decisive turning point in his artistic development.

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Career and practice

From 1979 to 1986, Per Weiss ran his own workshop, Weiss Gama, in Hagi, Japan. There he worked with traditional Hagi glazes and became the first Westerner to be admitted to the Japanese Academy’s annual prestigious exhibition Nitten – a remarkable honour. His early works were characterised by delicate, pale tones ranging from yellow to pink and apricot, while his later production explored stronger and more nuanced glazes.

After returning to Denmark, he established himself as the first artist with a workshop at Kunstnerhuset in Frederiksværk (1986–87). From 1988, he lived and worked together with ceramic artist Lene Regius at Mysselhøjgaard in Gl. Lejre, where they also ran a gallery. In 1993, they travelled together to Crete to study the ceramics of the Minoan culture and learned traditional techniques in Thrapsanos – techniques that were later integrated into Weiss’s own works.

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Iconic works

His iconic works demonstrate the breadth of Per Weiss’s ceramics – from monumental stoneware vases to experiments with glazes and firing techniques, where form and surface merge into a unified artistic expression.

• Large stoneware vases with labyrinthine patterns – hand-thrown vases in many sizes, decorated with dense, meandering ornaments in black, brown or blue on a light ground. The patterns create depth and rhythm and highlight the tactile quality of the stoneware – a signature expression of Per Weiss.
  
  
• Vases with flowing lines – organic, continuous line patterns that envelop the form and create a sculptural sense of movement. Ideal as statement pieces in modern interiors, where Nordic simplicity meets Japanese sensibility.
  
  
• Geometric spiral and zigzag vases – graphic decorations in spiral, chevron and zigzag motifs that contrast with the soft silhouette. The rhythmic patterns are enhanced by glossy, nuanced glazes and demonstrate Weiss’s command of both form and surface.
  
  
• Hagi glazes in a Nordic interpretation – pale glazes from his Hagi period (yellow/pink/apricot) translated into robust stoneware forms. The subtle depth of colour and milky transparency give the vases a poetic, almost skin-like materiality.
  
  
• Self-developed raku technique – raku firing combined with Japanese craft traditions and a Scandinavian sense of form. The result is vibrant surfaces with fine crackling and striking contrasts that make each vase unique.

Common to these works are their hand-thrown quality, monumental proportions and meditative, repeated decoration, all of which make Per Weiss’s stoneware vases highly sought-after collectors’ pieces in the market for original Danish ceramics.

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Commissions and representation

Commissions include works at Roskilde Cathedral (Konventhuset), VUC Sønderjylland (Haderslev), PBS (Lautrupparken, Ballerup), Tønder Bank, Oticon and Roskilde University. Represented in several Danish and international museums.

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Legacy

Per Weiss passed away in 2023, but remains an artist who, with deep respect for tradition and an experimental approach to glaze and form, created works of lasting significance. His ability to unite Japanese techniques with Nordic simplicity makes him an important figure in modern ceramic art.

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Discover works by Per Weiss at KLASSIK

At KLASSIK, we present original works by Per Weiss – from his large hand-thrown vessels to works with his characteristic glazes. All are carefully selected for their authenticity and artistic value.

If you do not find the exact work you are looking for, we are happy to help. Contact us at support@klassik.dk or by telephone on 33 33 90 60 – or visit us at Bredgade 3, Copenhagen.