Ceramic is an epic story of art and humanity, that through three millennia has given us some of our greatest masterpieces and contributed decisively to the formation of civilisation. From the magnificent flowering of the ancient Greek industry, through successive waves of spectacular artistic production ceramic is a narrative inseparable from our social, economic, and cultural history. The Romans, the Medieval world, the Islamic Nations, the Italian and Northern Renaissances, China, the Rococo, the Enlightenment, Victorian Age, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and the Modern Studio Tradition led us to the vibrance of the contemporary scene. British ceramic has flourished in the last fifty years and this exhibition showcases some of the most important artists that have formed and dominated the British scene. The vessel is at the heart of the story of ceramics and the exhibition reveals the reinterpretations and rich diversity of styles at play within this archetypal form in Britain today.

For our third annual celebration of ceramic we are delighted to invite Paul Greenhalgh, Director of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and author of Ceramic, Art and Civilisation, to curate a collection of senior twentieth century ceramicists; Magdalene Odundo, Alison Britton, Carol McNicoll, Martin Smith & Stephen Dixon.

British Studio Ceramic highlights the leading lights of a new wave in ceramics that emerged from the Royal College of Art in the 1970s. Creative freedom and an anything goes attitude defined this time at the Royal College and an influential group of students radically challenged and deconstructed notions of ceramics and particularly functional pottery. They led a revival of ceramics in the UK and continue to shape the scene today as leading figures in British ceramics.