Discover the versatile sculptural possibilities of ceramics in this exhibition that surveys over 90 years of The Hepworth Wakefield’s rich and progressive collection.
Since 1938, The Hepworth Wakefield has been collecting British studio potters to ensure they uphold their founding aim: to nurture ‘an understanding of contemporary art and its relation to modern life’. Some of the first ceramics to join the collection will go on display, including a large jar by Michael Cardew and a painted stoneware vessel by Samuel Haile.
Works by influential figures and teachers of ceramics such as Lucie Rie and Hans Coper from the 1950s, a particularly vibrant period for British ceramics, will also be exhibited. Post-war Britain saw a boom in ceramics as art school courses on the medium were taught by Rie and Coper, paving the way for a new generation of artists exploring clay.
Contemporary examples of ceramic sculptures, including an Art Fund supported acquisition of Magdalene Odundo’s Asymmetric Vessel (2021) will also go on display.
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