Beneath the Surface

Beneath the Surface is the first major survey of the important collection of studio ceramics held by Museum & Art Swindon. Begun as a teaching aid for Swindon College's ceramics course in the 1960s, the collection represents many of the stories behind 20th and 21st century studio ceramics. Beneath the Surface examines the fusion of different styles and techniques over the last century; the porous boundaries between art and craft; and the evolution of clay as a contemporary art medium. Alongside these themes, the exhibition explores the impact of female potters from Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie in the early 20th century to national figures such as Lucie Rie and radical contemporary ceramicists such as Sara Radstone.



Artwork: Mobius Knot by Fenella Elms, 2016 (copyright estate of the artist).