Anna Olivia Kristiansen graduated as a ceramist from the Glass and Ceramic School on Bornholm in 2003 and from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design in 2006. She has held several exhibitions in Denmark and abroad, including the Biennale of Crafts and Design in Kolding (2009) and the Object Factory II at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York (2009). In 2007, she was awarded the EKWC Grant for Young Participants. In 2011, Anna Olivia designed anniversary cups for The Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature to mark the association’s 100th anniversary. When creating her works, Anna Olivia Kristiansen aims to develop functional objects for everyday use that have an additional agenda. She draws inspiration from the society that she is a part of – phenomena that she finds intriguing or concerning. She tries to find ways to present otherwise dull facts and figures in new and surprising ways. Often, her ceramic works are imbued with powerful statements that comment on our times. Thus, the porcelain invites debate and afterthought, but it can also simply be enjoyed for its purely decorative properties. It is exactly this juxtaposition of enlightenment and graphic aesthetics that let her create informative products that do not become didactic or patronising.
Anna Olivia Kristiansen says of her own ceramics that she strives to create modern conversation pieces that contribute to the conversation at the dinner table.