Beate Kuhn

Beate Kuhn (15 July 1927 – 10 December 2015) was a German ceramicist and sculptor. She is regarded as one of the most important figures in post-war studio pottery, developing an abstract sculptural style that combined the traditions of ceramics with the formal concerns of painting and sculpture. Her works, often inspired by nature and contemporary music, are represented in major collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.

Early life and education Kuhn was born in Düsseldorf, the daughter of the sculptor Erich Kuhn and the pianist Lisa Kuhn. During the Second World War the family was displaced and moved to Hinterzarten in the Black Forest. She completed her secondary education in Neustadt in 1946 and initially studied art history at the University of Freiburg.

Personal life and death Kuhn lived and worked in Düdelsheim for most of her life, maintaining close ties with her collaborators and the community of ceramicists around the Scheid family. She continued to experiment with form and technique well into her eighties, incorporating new materials and glazes.

She died on 10 December 2015 at the age of 88.