Laoru Laoru – reviving ancient sculpture for the modern home

Inspired by the sculptural traditions of the ancient Greek and Roman empires, the Danish design and sculpture duo Laoru Laoru brings a touch of the stoic calmness to modern-day homes. With details of the human face, handmade and cast in ceramic earthenware, the works of the duo demand a level of craftsmanship rarely seen in the world of interior design.

Having practised sculpture for more than 16 years, Jacob Laoru has always been inspired by the ancient traditions of craftsmanship. Together with his wife Katrine Laoru, who has a background in interior design, he strives to reshape these traditions to complement the world of modern interior design. “The idea for our business is to approach sculpture foremostly as sculptors and secondarily as artists,” he explains. “Of course, we focus on the artistic value and on reimagining old sculptural traditions in a more modern setting, and that takes a lot of artistic choices along the way, which is equally important – but our foundation is in the traditional craftsmanship.”

The Danish design and sculpture duo Laoru Laoru; Jacob and Katrine Laoru.

The handmade, cast, and glazed ceramic works are based on the duo’s vision of the naturalistic treatment of the human figure in ancient sculpture, but with significant input from his work and life partner. “We’ve always been in dialogue about what I make,” Jacob says. “And, now, she also works with producing the pieces and shaping the line we’re developing.”

Each new piece begins with a concrete source of inspiration, often a specific sculpture or architectural element. From there, the process becomes less straightforward. “It takes a lot of sidesteps and dead ends,” Katrine explains. “We experiment with translating the inspiration into new forms. It involves directly manipulating the clay, drawing on experience, and thinking through each iteration until it becomes what it’s meant to be.”

However, once in someone’s home, the artwork may become something else again – pieces by Laoru Laoru are often modular, allowing buyers to assemble them in different ways and, in that way, take part in the artistic process. At the core of all works, however, is a shared aim to reintroduce a presence of calmness into people’s lives. “There is an aspect of the Greek and Roman sculptures that is very stoic and that’s a quality we strive to keep in our reinterpretation – providing a sense of groundedness, which is something I think is valuable in our society today,” concludes Jacob.

Web: www.laorulaoru.dk
Instagram: @laoru.laoru