Ceramics Curation describes a series of connected exhibitions presented between 2015 and 2019 at the Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts. The Crafts Study Centre (CSC) has strongly featured ceramic exhibitions in its programme since relocating to Farnham in 2000, with the opening of a new purpose-built museum on the Farnham campus in 2004. Indeed, the first year (2004-2005) of its temporary exhibition programme featured solo shows by leading contemporary studio potters: Magdalene Odundo; Takeshi Yasuda; Emmanuel Cooper; David Leach; Gwyn Hanssen Pigott. This announced the CSC as a key public exhibition venue for ceramics, adding strongly to the national infrastructure.
Ceramics Curation looks at a selected series of these exhibitions, building on their thematic contexts. Ladi Kwali 1925-1984 and Michael OBrien: in Nigeria were co-curated by Professor Simon Olding, Director of the Crafts Study Centre and Professor Dame Magdalene Odundo, Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts, and sometime Professor
Ceramics at UCA. Angus Suttie was curated by Greg Parsons working for the Ruthin Craft Centre in partnership with Jeffery Weeks and the Crafts Study Centre, and was presented at both venues. Nao Matsunaga: Raw Faces and Richard Slee: Framed were presented in collaboration with the Marsden Woo Gallery.
As Curator and Co-Curator, Simon Olding is the ‘artistic director’ of the Crafts Study Centre’s temporary exhibition programme and has overseen some 100 exhibitions held there from 2004-2020. The focus on studio ceramics relates to the very strong holdings in the permanent collections, and enables these to be seen in the context of contemporary practice. Simon Olding also curates events associated with the exhibitions, so that the makers and curators can debate their curatorial and artistic research as well as their making methodologies in a public environment. He also supports related exhibition publications with short essays and writes all exhibition texts.