87 - A material language: Creating, Collecting, Reflecting

Ceramics Now Weekly #87 features a review of Sharif Farrag at Jeffrey Deitch, the 80th Scripps College Ceramic Annual, an essay on creativity and movement in clay, the week's news, and new artists.

Apr 22, 2025

Hello! Welcome to the 87th edition of Ceramics Now Weekly. This is Vasi Hirdo, the founding editor of Ceramics Now.

I hope you are doing well today 👋 Let's see what's new.

Sharif Farrag: Hybrid Moments at Jeffrey Deitch

By Cammy Climaco

By the time Covid protocols were over in 2021, Ceramics was at its height of popularity. More and more fine artists were using it as a medium, Instagram had created a community of ceramics gazing, and Seth Rogan built a home studio. When the Clay Pop show, curated by Alia Dahl (née Williams), opened at Jeffrey Deitch it was right on time. It was a big deal; the unimaginable happened to ceramics, a material vilified for decades as being too “craft,” now a giant group show at Jeffrey Deitch. Dahl had put together a show of some of the best ceramicists in the country. Many had that California Davis Funk feeling: humor, pop culture as subject matter, cartoon characters out of context. […] Since that show, I’ve become a big fan of Farrag’s work. From Clay Pop, it makes total sense for Farrag to have a solo show at Deitch.

Collecting in Context: The Fred Marer and Forrest L. Merrill Collections

By Nancy M. Servis

The nature of collecting can be described as an impulsive urge, a planned strategy, or a cultural wayfinding. Whether by museums or individuals, collecting objects has been practiced intentionally or informally for millennia. The cabinet of curiosities developed in fifteenth-century Europe held oddities from around the world, signifying the private collector’s prestige. Solely possessing objects is one collecting motivation. But for others, there is something more. [...]

The Scripps College Ceramic Annual is the oldest continuously running exhibition of contemporary ceramics in the United States. It has a respected exhibition history dedicated to exploring, documenting, and celebrating the ceramic arts. From its initial show in 1945 to today, the ceramic annual has featured potters, sculptors, and installation artists dynamically engaging the material, often driving it to new heights of expression.

The Temporality of Creative Thinging: Movements Captured in Clay

By Anne-Brit Soma Reienes and Per Ditlef Fredriksen

Who or what is the source of creativity when working with clay? In this essay, we reflect on the outcomes of a collaboration between a ceramic artist engaging in performative pedagogy and an archaeologist working with contemporary material knowledges. Seeking a common conceptual ground, we explore the unruly outcomes of creativity in and through a series of selected ceramic works by Anne–Brit Soma Reienes.

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The week’s news in the ceramic world

📍 Applications are open until May 4, 2025, for the Esplugues Angelina Alós International Ceramic Biennial (Barcelona, Spain). Organized by the Esplugues de Llobregat City Council, this is the oldest creative ceramics competition in Catalonia. The 22nd edition aims to expand its geographical scope and will take place between July 14, 2025, and January 11, 2026.

🌿 The British Ceramics Biennial invites emerging artists to apply for the BCB's Fresh exhibition, taking place in Stoke-on-Trent from September 6 to October 19, 2025. The Fresh exhibition celebrates and promotes emerging talent in contemporary ceramics in the UK and Ireland, exploring the diverse ideas and trends in clay and ceramics practice. Deadline: June 4.

👌 The Kikuchi Biennale XI Ceramic Competition outline has been announced, and applications will be accepted online between June 1-30, 2025. The biennale exhibition will take place at the Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum, Tokyo, between December 13, 2025 and March 22, 2026. Several prizes will be awarded, including a Grand Prize worth ~$14,000. Application fee: ~$42.

👉 Artists are also invited to submit their applications to the 13th Shiwan Cup International Youth Ceramic Sculpture and Architectural Ceramics Art Competition, which will take place at the Guangdong Shiwan Ceramics Museum (China) later this year. Several prizes will be awarded, including a Grand Prize (~$25,000) and a First Prize (~$11,000). Applications are due July 31, 2025.

📢 The 38th California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts is taking place this weekend in Davis, CA. Hosted by the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts, CCACA 2025 brings together leading ceramic sculptors, students, and educators for two days of demonstrations, lectures, and over 40 exhibitions. With major shows across local galleries and more than 30 college exhibits, the event offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with artists and discover the future of ceramic sculpture in an intimate, inspiring setting.

💬 Join artists Sara Howard and Rosanna Martin for Clay in Conversation 10: Circles, the tenth in a series of conversations curated by artist Julia Ellen Lancaster, presenting artists working with clay and ceramics. Each conversation centers on a specific theme - acting as a lens through which the artists will present a piece of work or project. The presentations will be followed by a conversation chaired by Georgia Haseldine (Senior Curator, V&A East Storehouse) and a Q&A session with the audience. The event will be held at The Stephen Lawrence Gallery in London this Saturday, April 26.

🛒 Applications for the 2025 Sydney Ceramics Market are open until May 18. Held annually in October, the fair showcases the work of over 100 ceramic artists and potters, from striking sculptural pieces to functional tableware. Participation fee: starting from $1000.

🎓 The Ceramic Studio's Guest Potter Workshops begin next month at their stunning location in Brenchley, Kent (UK). Designed for both beginners and experienced makers, the series offers a rich variety of workshops led by acclaimed potters. Participants can explore techniques such as wheel-thrown porcelain, Mishima decoration, glaze making, slab-building, tableware design, clay collage, and more. Whether you're looking to develop new skills or deepen your practice, there's something for everyone.

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Exhibitions

Discover these ceramic exhibitions that were recently featured in Ceramics Now.

🔍 What's on View

A selection of ceramic exhibitions currently on view around the world.

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