Hua De Tu An, Flower Pictures II

This work was spotted by the museum at Collect 2008, the Craft Council's contemporary craft fair. The Art Fund initiated a new scheme called Art Fund Collect to provide curators with early access to the fair and the promise of 100% grants. York Art Gallery was among the ten shortlisted institutions at the preview. Although they did not purchase this work through the Art Fund Collect initiative, the Art Fund encouraged them to reapply through the Small Grants scheme. This enormous vase was made by Aylieff when working in China and combines Western and Eastern influences. This piece was thrown on a wheel by two highly skilled potters sitting opposite each other, one providing the stability and support to the other.