nature objects

Small common objects found in nature, such as stones, twigs or lichen and moss. These objects are being created based on the direct investigation of nature without secondary knowledge (i.e. photos or memorized information) as much as possible; likewise, they are also meant to be viewed (and possibly also touched) on a 1:1 basis as opposed to through photographic reproductions, outside of a virtual universe, and without preconceived information, because interpretation is always based on personal association, experiences and knowledge, inclusive trends, and because the camera changes what it depicts, making it appear as something quite different than looked at directly.

The recreation of items from nature in close cross-reference to their originals leads to the questions:
– Why exists among all animals only with humans the urge to artificially recreate his surrounding from original or alternative materials?
– In the case of trompe l’oeil: what is the purpose creating a deceptively real replica of an object or creature out of nature, in particular, if it is seemingly insignificant and common, e.g. in case of a stone, when one could simply use the original as it already exists, and what is the difference between both?
– When using organic material such as clay, and re-staging natural e.g. geological processes through pressing and firing the clay, where is the cut-off line where a man-made piece of art can be clearly distinguished from an object that occurred during a certain stage within a process in nature?

The work is listed here in a piece-by-piece catalogue format, single specimens can be sold/exhibited, but the main exhibition format of this project is arranged in a multiple piece room installation [*see: “Belief and Unbelief“- exhibition, Dohjidai Gallery Kyoto, JP, Oct 2020]; sold pieces are being replaced by different ones added to the project; the project is over time growing and changing.

lamb IV with small nature objects (2018 – 2020)

Josiane Keller “lamb IV with small nature objects” stoneware, porcelain, underglaze, glaze, glass; dimensions: var

Exhibition: “Belief and Unbelief” with Fukushima Kazumi and Yasuo Imai @Dohjidai Gallery, Kyoto, Sep.29th – Oct 4th 2020

“Belief and Unbelief”, 3 person exhibition with Fukushima Kazumi and Yasuo Imai at Dohjidai Gallery of Art “

three eggs in egg stands (2020)

Josiane Keller “three eggs in egg stands” porcelain, underglaze, glaze; scale: variable (2020) three eggs in egg s

tree bark with small fungi (2020)

[SOLD] Josiane Keller “tree bark with small fungi” red stoneware, underglaze, glaze; scale: 4 1/2″ x 2 1/2&#

small orange-black and blue-black eggs (2020)

Josiane Keller “small orange-black and blue-black eggs” porcelain, underglaze; scale: 1 3/8″ x 1″ x 1&

small tree bark with lichen (2020)

Josiane Keller “small tree bark with lichen” porcelain, underglaze, glaze; scale: 2 1/2″ x 1″ x 1/2

small oval grey-black speckled egg (2020)

Josiane Keller “small oval grey-black speckled egg” porcelain, underglaze; scale: 2 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ x 1

large cracked green speckled egg, under glass dome (2019)

  Josiane Keller “large cracked green speckled egg under glass dome” porcelain, underglaze, ink, glass; 4 1/4

large cracked light grey speckled egg (2019)

Josiane Keller “large cracked light grey speckled egg” porcelain, underglaze, ink; 3 3/4″ x 3″ x 3R

3 long twisted shells (2020)

Josiane Keller “3 long twisted shells” porcelain, underglaze, glaze; scale:  variable, 4″ – 2 1/2R

five eggs with egg stands (2020)

*ideally the work in this category is supposed to be displayed as is, but in case of the eggs, because they tend to roll, ther

small grey stone (2020)

Josiane Keller “small grey stone”; red stoneware, underglaze; scale: 2″ x 1 1/2″ x 1 2/3″ (2020)

black-brown-white mushroom (2020)

Josiane Keller “black-brown-white mushroom”, translucent porcelain, underglaze; scale: 3″ x 2 1/2″ x 2

large white egg (2020)

[SOLD] Josiane Keller “large white egg” compressed unfired porcelain, sand; 3 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4

fired earth from tree trunk (2020)

Josiane Keller “fired earth from tree trunk in pile” clay; dimensions variable (unknown – 2020) fine fired e

tree bark with clay inside (2020)

Josiane Keller “tree back with clay inside” tree trunk, bark, clay, grass, stones, lichen, moss, twigs, slugs, oth

clay bark (2020)

Josiane Keller “clay bark” wood, clay; 2″ x 1 1/2″ x 3/4″ (unknown – 2020) clay bark clay

small grey cement stone (2020)

Josiane Keller “small grey cement stone” cement, stone; 2″ x 1 3/4″ x 1 1/4″ (unknown – 20

black stone (2020)

Josiane Keller “black stone” stone, 2 1/2″ x 1 1/3″ x 2″ (unknown – 2020) black stone blac

red clay stone (2020)

Josiane Keller “red clay stone” burnt red clay, stones; 1 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ 1 3/4″ (2020) red clay s

tiny twig with buds (2020)

Josiane Keller “tiny twig with buds” wooden twig with buds, 1 1/2″ x 1/4″ x 1/3″ (unknown –

small twig with lichen (2020)

Josiane Keller “small twig with lichen” wooden twig, foliose lichen, 1  1/2″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″ (202

small bark with lichen (2020)

Josiane Keller “small bark with lichen” wooden bark, foliose lichen; 1 1/2″ x 3/4″ x 1/2″ (unkno

hollow brown bark (2020)

Josiane Keller “hollow brown bark” wooden bark, lichen; 4″ x 2″ 1 1/2″ (unknown – 2020) ho

large oval light grey speckled egg (2019)

Josiane Keller “large oval light grey speckled egg”, porcelain, underglaze, ink; 4″ x 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4&#

large cracked grey speckled egg (2019)

Josiane Keller “large cracked grey speckled egg” porcelain, underglaze; 3 1/2″ x 3″ x 3″ (2019)

small stone with lichen (2019)

Josiane Keller “small stone with lichen” porcelain, underglaze; 1 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ (2019)

small green algae (2019)

Josiane Keller “small green algae” porcelain, underglaze; 2 1/2″ x 2″ x 1 3/4″ (2019) small gree

large black mollusk (2019)

Josiane Keller “large black mollusk” porcelain, underglaze; 4″ x 3 3/4″ x 3/4″ (2019) large blac

Spondylus sea shell (2019)

Josiane Keller “Spondylus sea shell” porcelain, underglaze, glaze, 4 1/2″ x 4″ x 1″ (2019) Spond

small dark grey egg (2019)

Josiane Keller “small dark grey egg” porcelain, underglaze; 3″ x 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ (2019) small d

small black-white egg (2019)

Josiane Keller “small black-white egg” porcelain, underglaze; 2 3/4″ x 2″ x 2″ (2019) small blac

tiny mushroom pendant (2019)

[SOLD] Josiane Keller “tiny mushroom pendant” translucent porcelain, underglaze, oxide, silver wire; 1″ x 3/

brown-white mushroom (2019)

[SOLD] Josiane Keller “brown-white mushroom“, translucent porcelain, underglaze; scale: 3 1/2″ x 2 3/4″

rock with algae (2019)

Josiane Keller “rock with algae” red stoneware, underglaze; scale: 4″ x 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ (2019) r

smaller thunderegg half with moss and lichen (2019)

[SOLD] Josiane Keller “smaller thunderegg half with moss and lichen”, red earthenware, underglaze, 2″ x 2

larger thunderegg half with moss and lichen (2019)

Josiane Keller “larger thunderegg half with moss and lichen”, red stoneware, underglaze,  2 3/4″ x 2 1/4

twigs with white fungi (2019)

Josiane Keller “twigs with white fungi”, red stoneware, underglaze, glaze, 6″ x 3 1/2″ x 1 1/2″

stone with lichen (2019)

Josiane Keller “stone with lichen”, red stoneware, underglaze, 3 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ x 2 1/8″ (2019) s

small bird skeleton (2019)

Josiane Keller “small bird skeleton”, red stoneware, underglaze, 3″ x 2″ x 2″ (2019) small bird

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