In the studio of Naja Utzon Popov

Stories

Naja Utzon Popov

In the studio of
Naja Utzon Popov

Danish-Australian artist Naja Utzon Popov works across sculpture, ceramics, and textiles, blending influences gathered across continents. Having studied drawing and painting in Australia before furthering her education at the University of Westminster in London, her creative practice reflects an international outlook, drawing on memories and influences from both Denmark and Australia. These dual roots continue to inform and inspire her work across disciplines.

Hidden behind an unassuming gate in a quiet courtyard on Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, lies Naja’s studio. Tucked away from the city's bustle, the studio feels part workshop, part sanctuary. Here, surrounded by clay, textiles, sketches, and tools, Naja transforms impressions of nature into tactile works that exist somewhere between sculpture, craft, and storytelling.

“The ethereal character of my artwork extends into the space, imbuing it with a delicate otherworldliness while still possessing a grounded connection to nature.”

– NAJA UTZON POPOV

“The ethereal character of my artwork extends into the space, imbuing it with a delicate otherworldliness while still possessing a grounded connection to nature.”

– NAJA UTZON

As the granddaughter of renowned architect Jørn Utzon and daughter of artist Lin Utzon, creativity has always been part of Naja’s inheritance. Yet her artistic language is distinctly her own, rooted in organic forms, earthy textures, and an intuitive understanding of materiality. Naja’s signature ceramic columns, clay vases, and stoneware bells, with their subtle details and rich surfaces, feel both ancient and contemporary.

“The Swivel Chair's understated form, wrapped in dense wool, aligns with my appreciation for honest materials and tactile quality.”

– NAJA UTZON POPOV

“The Swivel Chair's understated form, wrapped in dense wool, aligns with my appreciation for honest materials and tactile quality.”

– NAJA UTZON POPOV

Among the objects that inhabit Naja’s studio is a Vipp Swivel chair upholstered in Australian sheepskin. Its industrial design offers a counterpoint to the raw, organic materials and works that surround it. More than a piece of furniture, it functions as a quiet vantage point offering a place for pause between making, observing, and beginning again.

Vipp 632 Sofa Chimney Brook Beige Chesnu 02

Artwork

Continuum – consists of several hundred small handmade stoneware bells, which are threaded onto metal wire and hung on a single hook to form a large organic cluster nearly two meters long. A green-glazed edition of the artwork is to be found at Noma in Copenhagen blending seamlessly with the restaurant's green, natural surroundings, evolving with the changing seasons.

Vipp Tunnel

Swivel Chair | Curly Edition