No Grout

No Grout showcases tiles created by Arts/Industry artists-in-residence at the Kohler Co. factory. The pieces span all five decades of the residency program, reflecting individual artistic expression and material play, as well as technological and skill-set progressions inherent in factory culture.

In 1974, artists began entering Kohler Co. to create ceramic works on the factory floor using tools and methods most of them had never had access to before. Regardless of their technical experience and knowledge of the medium, the artists-in-residence face a substantial learning curve to become acquainted with factory schedules, equipment, and processes. The Kohler associates and Arts/Industry studio technicians assist the artists in meeting these challenges.

The simplicity of the tile form has been an excellent entry point for approaching mold construction and surface experimentation. No Grout illustrates the range of technologies available in the factory and the artists’ innovative uses of glazes, slip application, and mold making.