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| May 8, 2014 |
Contemporary craft hits London this weekend
Boh staff
By Staff

The Crafts Council's aim is to make the UK the best place to make, see, collect and learn about contemporary craft—and COLLECT is central to this goal,” said Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director of Crafts Council, which organizes the COLLECT art fair (May 9 – 12) at London’s Saatchi Gallery. “Challenging perceptions and showcasing exemplary work, it continues to set a gold standard.”

This showcase of innovation and excellence will feature contemporary objects for sale from 36 galleries and over 400 artists, ranging from ceramics and glassware to jewelry and woodwork, and it will attract both private and institutional collectors including those from the V&A, the British Museum, the National Museum of Scotland, the Mint Museum USA, and the National Museum of Decorative Arts Norway, looking to buy exemplary work from leading artists from around the world.

Items to be exhibited at COLLECT

New galleries set to exhibit this year include Sladmore Contemporary (UK), which will provide a solo study of work by large scale ceramic artist Roger Law; The French Project (France) will present a range of works around the concept ‘cabinet of curiosities’; Galvanise Sheffield & Harley Gallery (UK) are collaborating on a presentation of artists celebrating Sheffield as a centre of industry; Jagged Arts (UK) will present a selection of mixed media artists around the theme ‘Line or Beauty’; and Officine Saffi (Italy) and Ippodo (Japan and US) will bring a selection of works in metal, ceramics and glass.

“I'm particularly looking forward to seeing new work and galleries from Asia this year, and I always come away from the event learning something new,” said show director Daniella Wells.

A combination of 14 booth talks, two Pin Drop Story Telling events, discussions around the Project Space and Legacy exhibition, as well as two wider discussions on craft, will provide visitors with an all-inclusive offering at the 11th edition of the fair.

Works to be on display as part of "Legacy"

“Legacy: Two works about hope and memory” by Julian Stair and Clare Twomey in commemoration of the First World War centenary will be a highlight of this year’s show. After COLLECT, where the exhibition debuts, it will go on a world tour.

On Friday, May 9, Lisa Dwan will read Solid Objects by Virginia Woolf, which explores the fascination of collecting ephemeral and beautiful objects. On Sunday, May 11, Elizabeth Day will read The Fly by Katherine Mansfield, which explores the inability to forget painful cultural events, such as the First World War.

Twomey, Stair and Grant Gibson, Editor of Crafts magazine, will give a walking tour of the seven works in the Project Space.  

In the Project Space, seven artists will be exhibiting new, concept-led works, including kinetic glass from Min Jeong Song and Wonseok Jung, luxury leather bags and vessels from Lisa Farmer, a mosaic installation by Cleo Mussi and intricate landscape tapestries by Jilly Edwards. Furniture by Giovanni Marmont, new works by Jerwood Makers, Open exhibitor Linda Brothwell, and highly desirable ceramics by Heidi Harrington complete the group.

A selection of the exhibitors, including Adrian Sassoon, Joanna Bird, Bishopsland and Gallery LVS will also discuss varying issues affecting the craft industry and makers. Topics will cover traditional concepts such as form, material and inspiration in the production of works, to wider industry issues such as the tension between new technologies and traditional techniques in craft production.

COLLECT is open to the public on Friday, May 9, from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 10, and Sunday, May 11, from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Monday, May 12 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

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