Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye was born in Istanbul of Turkish parents. From 1956 to 1958 she studied sculpture at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts, while also attending Füreya's Ceramic Workshop. She spent two years as a production worker in the ceramic factories at Höhr-Grenzhausen, returning to Istanbul in 1960 to work in the Art Workshop of the Eczacibasi Ceramic Factories. In 1963 she moved to Copenhagen, where she worked first for the Royal Copenhagen and, since, 1969, has had her won workshop. She has designed for both Rosenthal and Royal Copenhagen. She now lives and works in Paris.

Her distinctions include the Taega Brandts Legat (1982), the Eckersberg Medal (1983), the Atatürk Gold Medal and the Sanat Kurumu Ceramics Prize (1988) and the Louis Vuitton-Moet Hennesey ‘Science pour l’Art’ prize (1990). In 2000 she was awarded the prestigious Knight of Dannebrogordenen by The Royal Court, Copenhagen.

Above: Alev Siesbye in her studio
Photo © Jean Marie del Moral