The Materiality of Shelter

Tallinn and Vienna serve as the dual anchors for the practice of Laura Põld. Born in 1984, her work emerges from a deep investigation into how humans occupy space and the physical traces left by existence. She moves between the tactile grit of ceramics and the fluid, almost skin-like qualities of bioplastic. Her process is one of entanglement, where the boundaries between the maker, the material, and the environment begin to blur. She does not merely create objects; she constructs environments that address the precariousness of modern living.

The work often feels like a cinematic landscape, earth-hued and strangely familiar. In her installations, she explores the concept of the umwelt—the self-centered world of an organism. Her sculptures and large-scale constructions often interfere with the architecture of the gallery, forcing a confrontation with the idea of what constitutes a home, a refuge, or a temporary dwelling. She looks at the bird's nest and the human dwelling through the same lens of necessity and construction.

Interdisciplinary Convergence

Her technical foundation is built upon a rigorous study of form and surface. She began with ceramics at the Estonian Academy of Arts, later expanding her reach into painting at the University of Tartu and sculptural conceptions at the University of Art and Design Linz. This diverse training allows her to bridge the gap between traditional craft and contemporary installation. She utilizes a wide array of media to articulate her themes:

• Ceramics and sculptural clay objects
• Handmade pictorial carpets and tufting
• Textile, embroidery, and wood
• Painting-like sheets of bioplastic

This material breadth is central to her exploration of memory and labor. By employing traditional techniques like embroidery alongside modern bioplastics, she connects the historical context of a craft to the immediate, often urgent, concerns of the present. Her work often addresses "wicked" problems—complex global crises that lack simple resolutions—by offering spaces for contemplation rather than providing easy answers.

Recognition and Evolution

The trajectory of her career is marked by significant institutional recognition within the Estonian and international art scenes. Her ability to navigate the intersection of craft and fine art has earned her several prestigious honors. These accolades reflect a practice that is both technically proficient and conceptually profound.

Her achievements include:

From site-specific installations in Tallinn Art Hall to exhibitions at international fairs like Vienna Contemporary, her work continues to evolve. She remains focused on the entanglement of people, animals, and fibers, using raw materials like clay and wool to investigate the fundamental needs of community and safety. Her practice remains a continuous dialogue between the mundane act of making and the profound necessity of finding a place to belong.