The only thing that unites the works in the British Ceramics Biennial is that they all explore the possibilities of creating with clay. The decision to refrain from dictating an overarching theme allows the four-venue showcase to express fully the interests and inclinations of the best ceramicists working in Britain. This includes covering a 1969 Ford Zodiac with a rave-inspired mosaic; recreations of whales’ inner ear-bones hung from vibrating red ropes; and a performance artist donning a giant, eyeless clay head while trying to sculpt busts of members of the audience.
Aside from clay, the only other predetermined topic is that of the biennial’s location in Stoke-on-Trent, the once beating heart of the British ceramics industry. Its presence looms large in the minds of the more than 50 selected artists and via the venues, which are all in former pottery towns. The largest exhibition space is All Saints church in Hanley, which was built for and by potters in the early 20th century. Brand new ceramics are cradled within the brickwork to create a space which tells the story of pottery over the years, a story of community and exquisite artistry.
