Konrad Galaaen

Konrad Galaaen studied painting and ceramics at Statens Håndverks- og Kunstindustriskole in Oslo. Even as a student, he gained wider recognition, and in 1947 he won first prize in a competition which the ceramics factory Porsgrunds Porselensfabrikk held at the school. The competition was a door-opener for Galaaen, who was hired by Porsgrunds Porselensfabrikk that same year. In 1952 he designed the dinner service Spire. With its thin ribbing and organic forms, Spire was produced for more than 30 years and became a design classic. In the 1950s Galaaen began working in a freer artistic direction. He created a series of monumental decorative public works, one of which was for the Philips building in Oslo (1959). In 1962 Galaaen won the gold medal at an international ceramics exhibition in Prague, where he exhibited a large wall decoration made with chamotte. Galaaen retired from Porsgrunds Porselensfabrikk after 43 years of service.