77 – A European Ceramics Prize
Ceramics Now Weekly #77 features the 15th Westerwald Prize, two articles, the week's news in the ceramics world, and new featured artists.
Hello! Welcome to the 77th edition of Ceramics Now Weekly. This is Vasi Hirdo, the founding editor of Ceramics Now.
I hope you are doing well today 👋 Before we begin, I want to thank the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for sponsoring this edition of the newsletter and to thank everyone for sending feedback on the trial issue of Ceramics Now Magazine after the announcement. The magazine will be relaunched next month. Stay tuned!
Let's see what's new.
A European Ceramics Prize
In June, I had the honor of visiting the Keramikmuseum Westerwald in Germany as a juror for the prestigious 15th Westerwald Prize, an event that celebrates contemporary ceramics. Seeing such a diverse and exceptional selection of works reminded me again why I love ceramics and the importance of these events. They not only showcase a wide range of concepts and perspectives but also foster collaboration among artists, curators, and researchers, in an effort to present the public with insights into the ever-evolving world of ceramics.
Under the guidance of Nele van Wieringen, the museum's director, her team skillfully displayed the works of over 70 artists. The opening of the exhibition and the awards ceremony will take place later this week on Friday, September 27, at 7 pm, followed by a symposium titled Facts and Visions of Sustainability in Ceramics the next day.
You can read Nele van Wieringen's jury report and explore a photo gallery of the exhibition in Ceramics Now.
"The complex and hardened situation of our world and our small continent demands dialogue and cultural exchange now more than ever, something specifically desired when the Westerwald Prize was established fifty years ago. Art can speak wherever words lose their power and meaning. It has its own ways of visualizing complexity, commenting on events, or linking ideas. In this spirit, the jury thanks Westerwald County, which has been providing this speech an arena for half a century."
New featured artists in Ceramics Now
Sponsored by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Contemporary Ceramics MFA at SAIC →
The MFA in Ceramics at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago offers one of the few ceramics graduate programs that focuses on experimental, contemporary ceramics, allowing you to move fluidly across materials and methods, using exploration of clay, sculpture, and studio pottery as a springboard for more personal and contemporary sculptural making. The program draws from a wealth of traditional and high-tech approaches, and students create work ranging from traditional vessels to contemporary installations, performance, mixed media, time arts, or community-based practices.
The week’s news in the ceramic world
✍ The Virginia A. Groot Foundation invites ceramic artists to apply for their grants, offering 60,000, $30,000, and $20,000 to artists with exceptional talent and demonstrated ability in ceramic sculpture. They welcome and encourage international applicants at any stage of their career development. Applications are due February 1, 2025.
⛏️ Discover the story of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in Dr. Marte Johnslien's article, exploring how the world's most-used white pigment shapes our world while profoundly impacting the environment. Through ceramics and glaze, her research group critically engages with TiO2's environmental implications, connecting its mineral origins to broader societal and ecological questions, and highlighting the artistic journey of using materials from mining sites to foster a deeper connection to natural resources. Read the full article in Ceramics Now.
📙 We recently published Doug Navarra's review of Ranti Bam's debut exhibition at James Cohan, New York: "These vessels transcend mere utilitarian functionality; while we might classify them as "spatial containers," their significance extends far beyond that label. Within them, we find a rich tapestry of cultural constructs, influenced by Western thought, African traditions, and Yoruba culture." Read the full review in Ceramics Now.
🤝 There are just a few days left to apply for Studio Potter's Grants for Apprenticeships Program, which supports emerging artists who want to become full-time studio potters and mentor potters who wish to take on apprentices. Five $15,000 are available this year. Applications are due September 30.
🧱 Another call for applications ends on September 30: The Center For Fine And Applied Arts TERRA invites artists to apply to participate in the 44th International Terracotta Sculpture Symposium TERRA, which will be held between July 1-31, 2025, in Kikinda, Republic of Serbia. The organizers cover airline tickets, accommodation, food, and equipment, and there is a €1,000 royalty fee.
🏅 The Ceramic Brussels fair recently announced the ten winners of its 2025 Art Prize. They will be exhibited at the entrance to the fair in a scenography curated by Jean-Marc Dimanche, co-director of the event.
⛩️ Tomorrow, Joan B Mirviss will host an online gallery talk focusing on the life and work of the incredible Japanese-American artist Toshiko TAKAEZU (1922-2011), whose works in clay, fiber, and other media are currently touring the USA in the exhibition, Worlds Within. Glenn Adamson, acclaimed scholar and curator; Darlene Fukuji, board member of the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation and grandniece of the artist; Elisabeth Agro of the Philadelphia Art Museum; Laura Mott of the Cranbrook Art Museum; and Carolyn Herrera-Perez of the Chazen Art Museum will be engaging in a lively discussion about the artist, her career, and her oeuvre.
⭐ C14 PARIS 2024 is taking place on the first weekend of October in a beautiful heritage building in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. The show will display the works of 32 artists and aims to bring together ceramic artists, art galleries, and collectors.
👌 CERCO International Festival of Contemporary Ceramics is happening this week in Zaragoza, Spain. The festival includes several exhibitions, performances, presentations, live music, a cinema day, and other activities.
🎓 Ceramics Jobs Board:
Alfred University (Alfred, NY) is hiring an Assistant Professor of Ceramics
Washington and Lee University (Lexington, VA) is hiring an Assistant Curator of Ceramics
The University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) is hiring an Assistant Professor of Ceramics
🔍 What’s On View:
Beth Cavener: TRUST is on view at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Los Angeles
Elisa Helland-Hansen: Pleasure and Use is on view at Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo
Brian Rochefort: Staring at the Moon is on view at Sean Kelly Gallery, Los Angeles
Tecla Tofano: Esa Munda Macha is on view at James Cohan, New York
Casey Zablocki: Ceramic Furniture at Guild Gallery, New York
21st Annual Ceramics Invitational is on view at Abel Contemporary, Stoughton, WI
Caroline Schmoll: Magic Magma is on view at Grange Dîmière, Le Pin, Rhone-Alpes
Ícaro Maiterena: Dancing With Clay is on view at Galerie de l'Ancienne Poste, Toucy
Dante Elsner: Just to survive today is on view at Alice Black Gallery, London
Liam Lee & Elisabeth Perrault: Who Counts the Steps of the Sun is on view at Carvalho Park, New York
Exhibitions
Discover these ceramic exhibitions that were recently featured in Ceramics Now.
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