Pottery, also called ceramic art, is one of the first functional art to emerge during the Upper Paleolithic. From Chinese Pottery which first appeared in Jiangxi to ancient Greek amphoras, it soon became an art form on its own. In the contemporary art world, ceramics has been regaining popularity over the last few years.
This Singapore Art Week, renowned Singapore ceramicist and performance artist Jason Lim partners up with SEED the Art Space for the inaugural edition of Singapore Ceramics Now 2021 (SCN). It's set to be one of the largest surveys of ceramics art in local history since the 90s, featuring works by 19 Singapore-based artists. SCN brings together artists from various disciplines, celebrating the diverse processes, techniques and artistic ideas within ceramics art in Singapore.
Jason Lim is joined by a diverse group of contemporary artists working with ceramics including Delia Prvacki, Madhvi Subrahmanian, Kerry Jameson, Ahmad Abu Bakar, Chua Soo Kim, Pang Swee Tuan, Lim Kim Hui, Angie Seah, Steven Low, Teoh Huey Ling, Todd Tok, and Nelson Lim, Daisy Toh, Shane Ng, Hans Chew, and Tan Shao Qi.
“Clay as a medium is going to stay with us for a long time and this show attempts to bring nature back to the people,” Lim says. "Viewers will discover how Singapore’s urban setting, identity, history, nature, and communities serve as the artists’ inspiration."
SEED's curatorial team hopes the festival will reset how audiences perceive contemporary ceramic arts, and become witnesses of the evolution of the medium in Singapore. There will also be a line-up of engaging and immersive outreach programmes like Live Raku firing, Curatorial Tours, Panel Talks and Artist Demonstrations to educate the public about the history of ceramic art in Singapore.
The show opens on January 20 during Singapore Art Week and will be located at Block 7 of Gillman Barracks.