Chamotte Wall Sconce by Konrad Galaaen, Norway 1960s

Designed by Konrad Galaaen for Porsgrund Porselænsfabrik in the 1960s & 70s, this chamotte wall sconce is a quietly expressive example of Norwegian modernism at its most tactile and painterly. The square ceramic plaque frames a recessed circular well, finished in a saturated blue glaze that pools and shifts into mossy greens at the edges. It has that slightly volcanic, alchemical quality, the kind of surface that changes completely depending on the light and time of day. The integrated iron candle arm is understated and functional, allowing the ceramic to remain the focus while adding a warm, flickering dimension when in use.

This is one of those pieces that reads equally well as a sculptural wall object or as functional lighting - place it in a hallway or powder room, where the glaze can catch low light and really come alive.

Galaaen’s work sits within a broader Scandinavian studio movement that embraced raw materials and expressive glazing, a subtle counterpoint to the cleaner, more industrial Danish and Swedish design language of the same period. There’s a sincerity that I find incredibly appealing, especially layered into an interior with a mix of textures and eras.