MATTHIAS OSTERMANN
1951 - 2009
Matthias Ostermann died peacefully at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal Monday April 19th 2009 following a battle with HIV-induced lymphoma.
Born in Germany (1951) to Lila Ostermann, they immigrated to Canada in 1953 and lived in Toronto during his formative years. Toronto potter Isolde Rest introduced him to pottery in his late teens, sparking a life-long passion and career in the ceramic arts. For the past 20 years, he lived and worked in Montreal.
He had many colourful stories to tell, and told them all, and well, both in person and in pots. At the peak of his career, he lectured and exhibited around the world. His pottery is held in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Musée National des beaux-arts du Québec, the Royal Ontario Museum, as well as in many private collections.
Known for his maiolica pottery, his evocative narratives and broad knowledge of the field of ceramicarts, Ostermann wrote three well-received books and countless magazine articles about ceramics
Matthias Ostermann (1951-2009) est décédé paisiblement le 19 avril 2009 à l’hôpital Royal Victoria de Montréal, des suites d’un lymphome associé au VIH.
Né en Allemagne, il immigre au Canada en 1953 avec sa mère, Lila Ostermann, et s’installe à Toronto. Adolescent, il découvre grâce à la céramiste d’art Isolde Rest le travail de la terre cuite, qui deviendra sa grande passion. Il habitait Montréal depuis plus de vingt ans.
Conteur-né, Matthias a engendré des milliers d’histoires colorées – sur céramique, sur papier et en personne. Il a monté des expositions et donné des conférences aux quatre coins du globe. Ses œuvres sont entre autres représentées dans les collections du Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, du Musée Royal de l’Ontario (Toronto) et du Musée Victoria and Albert (Londres), sans compter les salons et cuisines de centaines de collectionneurs indépendants.
Reconnu mondialement pour sa maîtrise de la technique de faïence peinte (majolique) et sa connaissance de l’art céramique, Matthias est l’auteur de trois livres fort appréciés sur le sujet.
