BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL 2013

The British Ceramics Biennial opens today in Stoke-on-Trent and will continue until 10 November. Marsden Woo Gallery artists Nao Matsunaga and James Rigler and associated artist Nicholas Lees have been selected for award at the festival and will exhibit alongside an array of talented contemporary ceramic artists and makers based in the UK.

To view more work by these artists please see the artist pages on our website-
Nao Matsunaga: http://www.marsdenwoo.com/matsunaga/nm5.htm
James Rigler: http://www.marsdenwoo.com/rigler/jr14.htm
Nicholas Lees: http://www.marsdenwoo.com/lees/nl1.htm


For more information about the Biennial click this link: http://www.britishceramicsbiennial.com/

James Rigler, 'To the West, and on to the West' (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery 

Nao Matsunaga, Monster I (2012), photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery

                         Nicholas Lees, Object 13.13 (2013), photo © Nicholas Lees

SHOWS NOW ON: DAWN YOULL AND JAMES THOMPSON UNTIL 2 NOVEMBER

Our new shows- Dawn Youll's 'Locale' in the main gallery and James Thompson's 'Expanding Spaces' in the Project Space- are now open. 

The exhibitions are also featured in the Icon Design Trail 2013- Icon's guide to the best of the London Design Festival. Be sure to pop in and visit if you're on the trail! 

http://www.media-ten.com/3dissue/icon/designtrail/2013/

Some superb installation images below taken by Philip Sayer...

Dawn Youll, installation view of 'Locale' with 'Regular Arrangement' to foreground, (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

Dawn Youll, installation view of 'Locale', focus on 'Creature of Habit' (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

Dawn Youll, installation view of 'Locale', focus on 'Local Diversion'' (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

Dawn Youll, installation view of 'Locale' with 'Recreation'' to foreground, (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

Dawn Youll, 'Serviced', (2013) photo © Colin Tennant.

James Thompson, installation view of 'Expanding Spaces', (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

James Thompson, installation view of 'Expanding Spaces', (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

James Thompson, installation view of 'Expanding Spaces' with focus on 'Reconstructed Space II'
(2013) photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

James Thompson, installation view of 'Expanding Spaces', with focus on 'Inflated Space' (2013)
photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

James Thompson, installation view of 'Expanding Spaces', with focus on
1 hour 53 minutes I' (2013) photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

UPCOMING SHOWS AT MARSDEN WOO GALLERY: DAWN YOULL 'LOCALE' AND JAMES THOMPSON 'EXPANDING SPACES'

We have now returned from our summer break and are busy preparing our exciting upcoming exhibitions. In our main gallery Dawn Youll will show a new body of abstract ceramic works that explore the object as metaphor, evoking incisive insights into contemporary experience through a poetry of everyday life. Meanwhile, in our Project Space, James Thompson's mixed media interventions will explore the perception and interpretation of space, developed from his time spent recording the features of a small confinement cell in High Royds, a former psychiatric hospital in West Yorkshire.

To view individual press releases (PDF) visit the following links on our website -
Dawn Youll:
http://www.marsdenwoo.com/docs/press_youll_13.pdf
James Thompson: 
http://www.marsdenwoo.com/docs/press_thompson_13.pdf

To read more about James Thompson's fascinating project at High Royds former psychiatric asylum, please see our previous blog post: http://marsdenwoo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/james-thompson-expanding-spaces-project_23.html

Both shows will open 14 September and will continue until 2 November.

Image: Dawn Youll, ‘Civil Unrest’ (2013) photo © Colin Tennant

James Thompson’s work on this project has been sponsored by Jesmonite® and supported using 

public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. 

His access to the former confinement cell at High Royds Hospital has been facilitated 

by members of the High Royds Sports and Social Club.

Photo: work in progress at High Royds former psychiatric hospital, West Yorkshire

LAST FEW DAYS OF CURRENT SHOWS!

We are now in the last few days of our current shows before our Summer break. The gallery will be open tomorrow from 11am – 4pm, Tuesday 11am - 6pm and will have limited opening hours on our last day Wednesday 31 July from 11 am – 4pm. We will be closed for the month of August.

We have had an amazing response to both Philip Eglin and Neil Dixon's exhibitions from visitors and press, be sure to visit before Wednesday to avoid disappointment!

All installation images © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

JACQUI PONCELET AT MELIN TREGWYNT VIDEO

Further to our previous blog post about Marsden Woo Gallery associated artist Jacqui Poncelet's homeware collaboration with Melin Tregwynt wool mill and the Tate, take a look at this fascinating video in which the artist talks about her inspiration behind the range...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81jNtKdyGm8

JAMES THOMPSON: EXPANDING SPACES PROJECT

View of Room Four, photo © James Thompson

Since early 2013 RCA product design graduate James Thompson has been experimenting with a variety of means to record and re-map the features of a small confinement cell in High Royds, a former psychiatric hospital set in a 300 acre site in West Yorkshire. Rather than opting for imitative ways of documenting the site, such as photography, he has taken inspiration from the Cubists’ descriptions of space, which identified the duality of space and time and showed that it was possible to express multi-dimensional experiences of reality. The methods he has been using involve casting techniques, an adapted hand-held scanner and video recordings of changing light levels.

The results of his work, which include items of furniture, a kinetic and sonic piece, a print and a video will be displayed in the upcoming exhibition ‘Expanding Spaces’ in the Project Space of Marsden Woo Gallery from 14 September to 2 November 2013.

Some images of Thompson’s work in progress at High Royds can be seen here and regular updates are being posted at: http://room-four.tumblr.com

View of High Royds, photo © Mark Davis

View of High Royds, photo © Mark Davis

High Royds Psychiatric Hospital was designed by the architect J. Vickers Edwards and opened in 1888. In addition to care facilities, the complex of gothic buildings comprised a library, a surgery, dispensary, ballroom, butchers, dairy, bakery and its own railway system linked to the local line.  The hospital finally closed in 2003 and the site is now being redeveloped as a new village.

Suite of patient cells at High Royds, photo © Mark Davis

Thompson's experimental recordings focus on a single room, Cell No. 4

He uses latex to record the architectural features of the cell...

... as well as Jesmonite® 

Images are created by passing a hand-held scanning device across the surfaces of the
cell's furniture and fittings, such as a chair and the door, at varying speeds

A set of seats and other 3D objects are being developed from impressions 

captured in silicone and foam, and from a series of Jesmonite® casts. 

The exhibition, curated by Tessa Peters, opens during the London Design Festival, 14 – 22 September 2013. The project is sponsored by Jesmonite® and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

All work in progress images are by James Thompson.

JACQUI PONCELET AND MELIN TREGWYNT HOMEWARE COLLABORATION FOR THE TATE SHOP

Marsden Woo Gallery associated artist Jacqui Poncelet has collaborated with Melin Tregwynt wool mill and the Tate to create an exquisite homeware range. The line comprises beautiful throws, cushion covers and blankets in Melin Tregwynt’s Welsh woollens with Poncelet’s signature use of pattern and colour.

To see a video of Jacqui Poncelet speaking about her involvement with this wonderful project, have a look at the Melin Tregwynt Facebook page link here.

For further information, and to see the whole range, please see the Tate website: http://shop.tate.org.uk/artist-products/jacqueline-poncelet+melin-tregwynt/icat/jacquelineponceletmelvint/

MARSDEN WOO GALLERY ARTISTS SHOWING AT PANGOLIN GALLERY, LONDON

Marsden Woo Gallery artists Kerry Jameson, James Rigler, Nao Matsunaga and associated artist James Evans are currently showing at Pangolin Gallery as part of their 'Sculptural Ceramics' show. The exhibition investigates the dialogue between two traditionally segregated media and features in-focus exhibitions of work by Merete Rasmussen, Christie Brown, Halima Cassell and Jason Wason, as well as a group show from a variety of contemporary artists exploring this theme. 

The show is now on and runs until 7 September 2013. For more information please see their website: http://www.pangolinlondon.com/

SHOWS NOW ON: PHILIP EGLIN AND NEIL DIXON UNTIL 31 JULY

Some fantastic installation images of our current exhibitions taken by Philip Sayer- Phil Eglin's 'Nice Pair of Jugs' showing in our main gallery and new work by Neil Dixon in the Project Space...

Both shows continue until 31 July.

Philip Eglin, installation view of 'Nice Pair of Jugs' (2013),

photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery. 

Philip Eglin, installation view of 'Nice Pair of Jugs' (2013),

photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery. 

Philip Eglin, installation view of 'Nice Pair of Jugs' (2013),

photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery. 

Philip Eglin, installation view of 'Nice Pair of Jugs' (2013),

photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery. 

 Neil Dixon, installation view (2013) photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

Neil Dixon, installation view (2013) photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

Neil Dixon, installation view (2013) photo © Philip Sayer, courtesy of Marsden Woo Gallery.

NEW SHOWS NOW OPEN: PHILIP EGLIN AND NEIL DIXON

Our new shows are now open and will continue until 31 July.

In our main gallery we are showing a brand new body of work by leading ceramicist Philip Eglin. A series of drug jars use imagery reworked from the 19th century Spode's Indian Sporting series of designs while his large jugs are loosely based on 13th century Umbrian maiolica examples. These wonderful ceramic vessels inspired by Eglin's interest in visual culture are a lively orchestration of drama and incident.

Meanwhile, the Project Space welcomes the adventurous spatial constructions of talented young sculptor Neil Dixon. Dixon uses the basic materials of architecture- timber and clay- to create a kind of imaginary architecture. His miniature buildings and settlements invite imaginative exploration and the possibility of creating new narratives of space and place.