Lisa Larson: The charming storyteller of Swedish ceramics
"Grandma's Clayy Hands - a film about Lisa Larson". Lisa's granddaughter, director Emilia Ekman Larson's new documentary film about her grandmother has its Swedish premiere today, October 3. Lisa Larson (1931-2024) was one of Sweden's most beloved ceramists.
Who was Lisa Larson?
Imagine a world where everyday things like animals and children are not just ordinary figures, but little stories shaped in clay – warm, fun and full of life. That's exactly what Lisa Larson, one of Sweden's most beloved artists, created through her work with ceramics.
Lisa Larson was born on September 9, 1931, in the small town of Härlunda near Älmhult in Småland – the same place where IKEA would later be founded, but that’s another story. Even as a young woman, she showed a talent for creating with her hands. After high school, she trained as a textile artist in Gothenburg, but it was ceramics that really caught her attention.
In 1954, at just 23 years old, she was discovered by the famous designer Stig Lindberg during an art competition. He invited her to the historic Gustavsberg porcelain factory outside Stockholm, where she was given a trial job that soon became a lifelong passion. For 26 years, until 1980, she worked there, designing everything from practical kitchenware to playful sculptures.
She later became a freelancer and even ran her own ceramics studio in Gustavsberg from 1992.
But what really makes Lisa Larson so special?
Her ceramics are not just beautiful things – they are stories in three dimensions. Imagine a little elephant looking a little mischievous, or a cat sneaking up with a grin.
She is best known for series such as Små zoo from 1955, in which she sculpted an entire zoo of animals in ceramic: elephants, lions, penguins and giraffes, all with round shapes and humorous features that make them feel like old friends.
Then came the ABC Girls in 1958, a collection of girl figurines inspired by ancient fertility goddesses – curvy and confident, a contrast to the slender ideals of the 1950s. They represent each letter of the alphabet and feel like a celebration of girls’ strength and joy. Other highlights include the Africa series from 1964, featuring African animals like lions and flamingos in dramatic poses, and the Children of the World series from 1974–1975, where children from different cultures – like a Japanese girl or an African boy – are depicted with respect and warmth. These figurines are not perfect or polished; they have irregularities, glossy glazes and a handmade feel that makes them come alive.
Lisa Larson mixed the everyday with the exotic, the fun with the thought-provoking, where design should be both functional and joyful.
Lisa Larson loved worldwide
Her significance extends far beyond the studio. Lisa Larson has made ceramics accessible to everyone – her figures have adorned Swedish homes for generations, become collector's items and even inspired enormous sculptures, like a gigantic version of one of her figures in Japan in 2015.
She challenged norms by giving women and children a strong, curvy representation in art, and her humorous touch has made Swedish design internationally beloved. Her work is in the National Museum in Stockholm and has been sold worldwide.
Sadly, Lisa Larson passed away on March 11, 2024, after a short illness, at the age of 92. But her legacy lives on in every little ceramic animal that makes someone smile. If you ever see a round, happy elephant made of clay on a shelf, think of her – a woman who showed that ceramics can be more than just a craft. It can be magic, a piece of childhood and a reminder that the world is a little more fun with a little mischief in the form. Maybe it’s time to visit a museum or a flea market and discover her world for yourself?