Artists and designers in residence
Artists and designers in residence
Find out what happens behind the scenes of the V&A's Museum Residency Programme which brings together designers, artists, makers, musicians, writers and all kinds of artists in the creative industries collaborate with V&A's world-class resources, including the extensive collections, curatorial and conservation expertise, practical art, design and digital media workshops and experienced educational and outreach staff, to create exciting new projects, research and events for Museum audiences.Discussions collected here come from a rich and diverse number of individual practitioners.
Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 00:00
‘Ceramica’ turns out to be a great success, the highlight a spectacular, and somewhat traumatic, live kiln firing by French ceramicist Thiebaut Chague in the John Madejski garden. ‘Victoria’ has attracted over 1,000 visitors to the studio over 3 days, some bearing their own ceramic shards, and all contributing a piece to the mosaic. Thanks to assistants Jon and Richard for...
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 - 00:00
The galleries open with the usual V&A fanfare, the great and the good of the ceramics world are here, and are awash with quality champagne. I am, however, on my best behaviour, as I must welcome the guest of honour, Princess Anne, into my studio. Anyone familiar with my work will know that I don’t have a great track record as a loyal supporter of the monarchy, but I manage to behave...
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 - 11:21
This is a show of contemporary basketry in the Barbican library foyer, showing the world that the craft is no longer what people instantly imagine. No shoppers here, though I love to see them in other exhibitions and still love to teach those traditional skills which it is so important to maintain. More of that, and the Heritage Crafts Association another time.
But here are diverse...
Friday, September 11, 2009 - 18:13
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And last week an interview with Lily Feng for the BBC World Service.
It was for a Chinese Radio broadcast and online report about the World Beach Project, going out to Chinese communities around the world. I hope I said the right words to inspire ‐ it would be great to see the idea developing and extending to fill the blanker parts of the map.
Sadly, I’m unable to read what Lily...
Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 00:00
The V&A PR machine is now in overdrive, I listen to the artist Grayson Perry (justifiably) singing the praises of the ceramic galleries on the Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme, and arrive to find a rather robustly made jug sitting in my studio, created by James Nauchtie under Grayson’s supervision.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 - 00:00
Preparations for the gala opening of the ceramic galleries are in full sway. I have driven down to London with a car full of work, and with the help of Ria Kirby, my residency co-ordinator, create a ‘mini retrospective’ in the beautiful display case adjacent to the ceramic studio.
This space is mine to curate for the duration of the residency, a great opportunity to...
Friday, September 4, 2009 - 14:19
I went off to this exhibition not expecting to be so interested, but not knowing a great deal either. But it was rich and ornate and elaborate in the ways I had anticipated but also much more absorbing. A huge show – too big for one visit but I picked and mixed, and enjoyed the caned chairs early on, with their tall backs and close mesh caning. I have recently repaired some seats and backs of...
Friday, September 4, 2009 - 00:00
During construction of Victoria I am visited by journalist Gian Luca Amadei, who is researching an article on the new galleries for Blueprint magazine. He is very interested in the notion of an artist at work (and very much on show) within the ceramics collection, and decides to focus on this as the theme of the article. (Since published as ‘Produce’, in Blueprint No. 284. November...
Monday, August 31, 2009 - 08:54
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Earlier this month I was interviewed about World Beach by journalist Florence Waters resulting in a fine spread in the Telegraph Review.
Unfortunately the critical point of working with ONLY STONES was slightly lost in translation, so if anyone got the wrong end of the stick (or seaweed), that’s a shame.
The online version has been amended and includes even more of your great images...
Friday, August 28, 2009 - 00:00
My residency in the new ceramic galleries at the V&A begins with preparations for ‘Ceramica’, a three-day extravaganza of ceramic events to celebrate the opening of the splendid new ceramic galleries. To this end I have started work on ‘We are not Amused’, a larger than life-size bust of Queen Victoria (in her most familiar elderly and rather dour manifestation) in...