The week’s news in the ceramic world

Two spectacular biennials will open this Saturday

British Ceramics Biennial returns to Stoke-on-Trent, UK, with a vibrant five-week festival of new artist commissions, exhibitions and hands-on events that celebrate the life, character and creativity that ceramics bring to the city. Taking centre stage in the festival will be the BCB’s headline exhibition AWARD – this exhibition sees 10 of the UK’s most innovative ceramic artists competing for a £5,000 prize. Another festival highlight is Stoke Makes Plates – a large-scale installation of 250 plates designed by 120 Stoke-on-Trent residents, from care home residents to people in addiction recovery, commissioned artists and local ceramics manufacturers, and inspired by Stoke’s historic high-street.
European Glass Context 2021 returns to the island of Bornholm, Denmark with two large exhibitions at the Bornholm Art Museum and Grønbechs Gård, showcasing the best of European glass art. Over 60 artists shape the exhibitions in four categories: Site-specific installation projects or works (1), Works based on one or more of the UN’s sustainability goals (2), Craft (3), and Works or processes originating from social or political practices (4). Many other events and experiences will also take place starting this weekend, during the Bornholm Craft Weeks.

The winners of the Officine Saffi Award 4 were announced a couple of days ago. The Award goes to Virginia Leonard’s Pus and Scabs for its psychologically layered and exuberant expressionism. The jury awarded an extra acquisition prize to Maria Kristofersson for the quiet rigour and poetic exploration of space in her work Proximity-Distance. Congratulations, everyone!

There’s one month left to apply for the Banff Artist in Residence – Winter 2022, in Canada. The program encourages experimentation via access to a full suite of shared production facilities and knowledgeable staff. Ceramics, Sculpture, Photography, Printmaking, Papermaking and Digital Media production facilities will all be available for this program. International applicants are welcome.

Festa della Ceramica di Nove e Portoni Aperti (a ceramics festival in Nove, Italy) will take place later this week. It includes multiple exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, concerts and multimedia events. The organizers will also host a ceramic film festival, a theatre play and a ceramic fire sculpture.

The 49th Congress and General Assembly of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) will be held online on September 22 and 23, 2021. This meeting will welcome participants from all over the world who shall gather and exchange information virtually. They will be introduced to activities related to this year’s theme through the use of an online platform. The overall theme of the Rovaniemi/Posio Congress is “On the Edge”. Paid registrations are open until September 17.

Wendy Gers has been announced the new curator of modern and contemporary ceramics at Keramiekmuseum Princessehof in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. She succeeds Tanya Rumpff, who will then retire. Rumpff’s acquisitions of the past six years for the museum can be seen until October 17 in the exhibition Skin & Hair: acquisitions of contemporary ceramics 2015-2021.

On September 11, the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) will host a double panel discussion with a marvelous group of speakers, including artists Robert Brady, Arthur Gonzalez, Beverly Mayeri, and Nancy Selvin. Join them for a discussion about the MIND+MATTER exhibition, and for a special insight into the life and work of Don Reitz. This in-person event is free and open to the public.