Gnome figures, doll-sized tableware and snail shells. Scent jars, cups and bowls. Piles of earth, tea sets and fish platters. Why create more in a world that already has enough things?

Throughout her life, Ursula Munch-Petersen posed some of the most difficult questions an artist can ask themselves: Am I an artist? What justifies my work, and how can I contribute to a better and more sustainable future?

Munch-Petersen (1937–2025) was one of the most original figures in Danish ceramics and her approach to the material made her known as the woman behind the iconic URSULA tableware series. Gentleness and care are key qualities that characterize both her process and the finished works. From small whimsical forms to large public commissions, Munch-Petersen moved through a wildly overgrown landscape of styles shaped by remnants of the past and visions of the future. Communities formed the unifying centre around which both the potter’s wheel and storytelling revolved.

Diligence, desire and playfulness went hand in hand. “You have to know the craft in order to push it to the limit, and slightly beyond,” as Munch-Petersen herself expressed it. Throughout her life, she received great recognition for her work in craft and design. Less known, however, is her role as an artist and creative thinker. The exhibition Lyst therefore focuses on the artist behind the ceramics and presents, in full, workshop elements, archival material and unique artworks. Together, the exhibition offers insight into Munch-Petersen’s life and work through the themes of The Hand, The Spirit and The Art.

Across every part of her process, one senses a curious and exploratory approach to both art and ceramics – and the logic that followed her throughout life: Start small. Dream big.

The exhibition is the first since the artist’s death in 2025 and has been created in close collaboration with the Estate of Ursula Munch-Petersen.