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and 25 Leach Pottery
Leach Pottery:
© Matthew Tyas
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A centenary celebration of clay and community
Two years of celebrations to mark the centenary of St Ives’ world-renowned Leach Pottery have culminated in Clay and Community, an exhibition of works created by talented children, and novice and experienced potters, from across the country.
As part of the Leach 100 programme, young artists were invited to submit a drawn design or photographs of maquettes for a new ceramic piece on the theme of A Pot for Sharing. More than 150 children took part in the Schools Challenge, and it was art and design pupils at Norwich School who took home the coveted gold prize of a four-day workshop at the pottery. Their innovative and unique bubble pottery plates were inspired by the Covid 19 pandemic, referencing the ‘social bubbles’ that we all became so familiar with.
The Clay and Community exhibition also features ceramics developed at National Raku Parties hosted during the Leach 100 celebrations by 29 partners of the Leach Pottery across the UK, to give people the chance to experience the fast and dramatic method of firing that inspired Bernard Leach to pursue pottery.
© Leach Pottery
Leach, one of the great figures of 20th century art, played a pioneering role in creating an identity for artist potters across the world. The pottery which bears his name was founded in 1920, and remains a working studio at the heart of St Ives’ artistic community. The aim of the Leach 100 programme, launched in the Pottery’s centenary year, was to honour this significant milestone through a comprehensive programme of exhibitions, events and outreach work.
© Leach Pottery
As well as Clay and Community, these included an exhibition of the work of several artists who, after a rigorous selection process, received funding to create a body of work to present for display at the Pottery. Rosanna Martin and David Paton, both based in Cornwall, developed a joint brief entitled Mythical Taxonomies – A Cornish Recombinant Geology, which aimed to unlock the mineral energy embedded in materials, and to explore how this force relates to specific places, people and landscapes. They visited sites across Cornwall and produced kiln-fired sculptures, drawings, films, photographs, and text, exploring how humans connect and interact with the landscapes they inhabit.
Resident artist Hyoson Kim created Moon Jars, a traditional form of Korean art. – Bernard Leach brought a Moon Jar to Britain, and it formed a central part of his own ceramics collection, and Hyosun takes
© Leach Pottery inspiration from the central principles of Leach’s work in her own creations.
Leach Pottery director Libby Buckley said that Leach 100 was the culmination of a lot of hard work celebrating creativity in all its forms, and featured works created by people whose abilities range from beginner to seasoned potter. “Although the Leach 100 celebrations haven’t turned out exactly as we initially planned – due to the pandemic – our work has been successful in nurturing creativity and has given more people access to clay, which is fantastic. In addition, we are incredibly proud to have pushed artistic development through the commissions and residencies.
© Leach Pottery
“The Leach Pottery was founded in the spirit of friendship, cooperation and exchange. It is therefore fitting that we continue our extended centenary celebrations through this community-focused and communityled exhibition that brings our local and international friends together to celebrate such a historically significant site at such a momentous time. The community has always been pivotal to everything the pottery does and we are pleased to celebrate it in this way.”
The Clay and Community Exhibition is available to view at the Leach Pottery until March. To book a slot or to find out more, visit www.leachpottery.com
