Ceramics and the Museum

Ceramics and the Museum explores the relationship between art-oriented ceramic practice and museum practice in Britain since 1970, examining the identity of ceramics as an art form, the impact of policy making, the shift from object to project, and the exhibition as a text.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 22 August 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Ceramics and the Museum explores the intricate relationship between art-oriented ceramic practice and museum practice in Britain since 1970. In her comprehensive examination, Laura Breen delves into the identity of ceramics as an art form, drawing upon examples of exceptional artist-makers like Edmund de Waal and Grayson Perry. She also examines the profound impact of policymaking on ceramic practice, tracing the shift from object-oriented to project-based approaches and the evolution of ceramic sculpture. Breen further explores how museums have facilitated multisensory engagement with ceramic material and process, ultimately analyzing the exhibition as a text in its own right.

Proposing the notion that "gestures of showing," such as exhibitions and installation art, can be read as statements, Breen delves into what they reveal about the identity of ceramics at specific moments in time. She highlights the ways in which these gestures have constructed ceramics as a category of artistic practice, thereby illuminating gaps between narrative and practice. These gaps, in turn, offer a means to deconstruct the art, challenging traditional notions of what it means to create and appreciate ceramics.

Through her insightful analysis, Ceramics and the Museum provides a valuable contribution to the field of ceramics studies, shedding light on the complex interplay between art, culture, and the museum. It serves as a testament to the enduring significance of ceramics as an art form and its potential for continuous innovation and transformation.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 157 x 232 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350047846