The month in craft - our September round up 🧶
As Autumn arrives, a wealth of ceramics & textile exhibitions open, plus beautiful artist books to get cosy with...
Welcome to our September round-up! This month, we’ve brought you an interview with Turner-nominated Delaine Le Bas, who took over Glasgow’s Tramway this summer with a richly textured world where multiple voices and visions collide. We also shared insights from twentieth-century maker M. C. Richards – who brought us the philosophy of clay – and Modernist Maker 012: Romare Bearden – the Dada-inspired artist who used collage to organise chaos and speak out about Civil Rights.
We’re looking forward to a whole host of openings in October – but we’re giving you a last chance to see what’s closing soon too, including some Bloomsbury darlings. There are also some exciting event dates for the diary – like the chance to see connections between painting and weaving, with Caroline Derveaux and Sara Kelly in London. We’ll be sharing an interview with the duo next month too. But for now, keep on scrolling for exhibitions, reads, and opps!
New exhibitions…
CCA Glasgow opens Jalsaghar, a solo exhibition by Debjani Banerjee. Through sculptures, textiles and audio installations, Banerjee draws inspiration from various sources, including family conversations, Indian pop culture, Hindu iconography, and sacred rituals (open now until 21 December 2024). Keep an eye out for our interview, coming soon!
In London, a sculpture park overlooking the Thames will open MARY MARY, featuring sculptures by nine artists including newly commissioned works by Rong Bao, Candida Powell–Williams and Alice Wilson. The programme enacts a large-scale reclamation of public space (opens 3rd October and on view until September 2025). Sid Motion Gallery presents the first of its series of exhibitions that explore the boundary between fine art and craft, curated in collaboration with Tom Cole: DUST TO DUST brings together works by Robert Mapplethorpe, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and Phoebe Cummings, which consider decay, death, and the natural world through different mediums and forms (until 2 November 2024). It’s also the last chance to see Vanessa Bell: A Pioneer of Modern Art at The Courtauld, which features woodcuts and textile pieces alongside Bell’s paintings (on until 6 October 2024). Speaking of Bloomsbury, you also have some time left to discover the dreamlike world of Anne Rothenstein’s collages and paintings, at Charleston in Firle (on until 13 October 2024).
At the Hepworth Wakefield, catch Igshaan Adams: Weerhoud (open until 3 November 2024). Adams shows three new commissions created specifically for the exhibition, consisting of two tapestries and one of his largest immersive ‘cloud’ installations to date.
Jerwood Survey III is currently at Site Gallery Sheffield (open from 26 September 2024 until January 2025). This group show presents new artworks by 10 early-career artists from across the UK, providing a distinctive snapshot of current artistic concerns and approaches in the visual arts. From Ciarán Ó Dochartaigh’s healing tools in glass, ceramic and wood to Philippa Brown’s ambiguous, sculptural forms and Aqsa Arif’s moving image installation, it’s exciting to see materiality and craft forms taking up space.
More dates for the diary…
For one night only, experience the CROSSOVERS between Paris-based painter, Caroline Derveaux, and London-based weaver, Sara Kelly. The launch event will have drinks and DJs, as well as a chance to purchase works. RSVP here.
Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2024 (17-20 October 2024) at Victoria Baths brings together over 200 makers from across the UK.
There’s still chance to see Harewood Biennial 2024: Create/Elevate at Harewood House, Leeds until 20 October 2024.
Reading List…
Christiana Spens’ in-depth review of the Hannah Höch: Assembled Worlds retrospective currently showing at Lower Belvedere in Vienna, Austria. Spens explores Höch’s range of work in collage and photomontage, from her iconoclastic Dada heyday to the otherworldly - but still radical - late work. Read the review on studio international.
Also published in tandem with a beautifully rich exhibition is Cecilia Vicuña: Dreaming Water. The book offers a comprehensive exploration of Vicuña’s multifaceted artistic journey – including screenprints, collages, textiles, installations, poetry, artist books, and more.
Also hot off the press is Sheila Hicks: Radical Vertical Inquiries (2024), which celebrates the verticality of Hicks’ work. The book explores the scale and structures crucial to Hicks’ towering fiber structures – and is itself a beautifully designed art object.
This latest edition of
reports from the West of Ireland where a community and land rooted architecture festival is half way through. We also loved catching up with (especially the recommended reading lists). Over at we’ve been learning lessons from Virginia Woolf on artistic confidence. We also recently discovered – brilliant longform, lyrical essays where we spotted pieces on Anni Albers and Faith Ringgold.Opportunities
Funding: Aberdeen City Council are seeking proposals for its Culture Investment Programme, to deliver cultural activity in Aberdeen for the benefit of residents. Submissions open until 6 November 2024.
Prize: There’s a month left to apply for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize 2025, which seeks to recognise uniquely talented artisans whose artistic vision and will to innovate set new standards for the future of craft. Submissions open until 30 October 2024.
Award: Jorum Craft Award is open for the ninth round of a materials-focused grant supported by Jorum Studio, in association with Craft Scotland. Submissions open until 22 October 2024.
Job: Quintessa Art is seeking a freelance (short term contract) mid level gilder/decorative artist to join its dynamic team, based at its North London studios.
Job: CityLit are looking for bookbinding, basketry, and ceramics tutors.
Oh, thank you for the mention! That Philippa Brown installation looks incredible - so wish I could make it to see that!