BCB broadcasts the winners of AWARD and Unique for the 2021 Competition!

British British ceramics Biennial broadcasts winners of UK’s main British ceramics prize AWARD and Unique awards for unique skill.

Stephen Dixon has been named the winner of AWARD, the main platform for up-to-the-minute ceramic art notice within the UK and one in every of the flagship exhibitions at this yr’s British British ceramics Biennial, which takes teach in Stoke-on-Trent till 17 October.  

Stephen Dixon became as soon as chosen from a shortlist of 10 artists and awarded the £5,000 prize for excellence, innovation and creative ambition. His profitable work, Transient: The Ship of Needs and Nightmares is a 4m-lengthy silhouette of a mature Mediterranean fishing vessel, the stereotypical image of a refugee shipwreck. The work is created from a series of suspended maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware) objects, every one representing either the dream of a unique life in a teach of refuge or the nightmare of struggle, displacement or forced migration. These objects, which vary from a life jacket to a rocking horse were chosen at some level of online discussion groups with refugees and asylum seekers from the Burslem Jubilee Project based fully in Stoke-on-Trent. 

In his notice Stephen Dixon makes employ of British ceramics to analyze up-to-the-minute narratives. The methodology of maiolica standard on this work originated in nineth century Iraq, and incessantly unfold all the device by technique of the Mediterranean into Moorish Spain, Renaissance Italy and at remaining into Northern Europe.  

Transient: The Ship of Needs and Nightmares attracts upon the geographical similarity between the historic migration of maiolica and the migration routes of latest refugees and asylum seekers. 

Alun Graves Senior Curator British ceramics and Glass V&A and Chair of the decision panel comments: ‘Stephen Dixon’s work – Transient: The Ship of Needs and Nightmares – demonstrates British ceramics’ capability to take care of the pressing problems with our times. It is prominent in belief, invent and execution. It engages meaningfully with the hopes and fears of migrant ride, painstakingly rendering in ceramic objects that occupy symbolic price for refugees and asylum seekers from the Burslem Jubilee Project. With corpulent clarity, it represents their voices, while permitting his hold creative disclose a quieter supporting role. As such it stands as a piece of outstanding humanity, as successfully as one in every of outstanding dazzling presence.’ 

Stephen Dixon became as soon as chosen from a 10-worthy listing of artists who together present a snapshot and celebration of most contemporary process in ceramic art. The diversified shortlisted artists were Helen Beard, Christie Brown, Alison Cooke, Connor Coulston, Tamsin van Essen, Mawuena Kattah, Jin Eui Kim, Ho Lai and Cleo Mussi, all of whom occupy created unique work at indicate on model at this yr’s BCB festival. 

Three early occupation artists at a start moment of their creative notice were awarded Unique residency alternatives. Dorcas Casey, Nico Conti and Leora Honeyman were chosen from 25 artists from UK and Eire exhibiting in BCB’s Unique exhibition, which celebrates and affords a serious platform for the unique wave of makers, artists and designers working in clay as they start up their creative careers.  

Dorcas Casey, a sculptor attracted to tips spherical needs, experiences, instinct and memory, will undertake a residency at Guldagergaard International British ceramics Analysis Middle; Nico Conti, whose composed work embraces the tradition and heritage of his upbringing in Malta and sees him pairing clay with 3D printing technologies, will settle up a residency at Staffordshire College; and Leora Honeyman’s residency with the British British ceramics Biennial will glance her invent her sculptural, summary forms that mix clay with diversified materials and making processes.  

The overall profitable artists from AWARD and Unique would possibly be invited to most contemporary unique work within the 2023 British British ceramics Biennial.  

For extra press data and photography, please contact: Iliana Taliotis on +44 (0)7931 341 112 or mail@ilianataliotis.com 

Notes to editors 

BCB AWARD 2021 judging panel:  

• Alun Graves - Senior Curator British ceramics and Glass V&A (Chair) 
• Clare Twomey – Artist, Researcher and Author 
• Vicky Lindo and William Brookes – AWARD 2019 winners 
• Barney Hare Duke – Broken-down Inventive Director, British British ceramics Biennial 
• Deirdre Figueiredo – Director, Craftspace 
• Anjani Khanna – Atist and Co-founding Curator of the Indian British ceramics Triennale 
• Skinder Hundal – Director of Arts, British Council 

Unique 2021 decision panel:  

• Helen Felcey – Artist, Educator and Curator (Chair) 
• Dr Neil Brownsword – Artist and Professor, Staffordshire College  
• Lee Critchlow – Product Fabricate Manager, Wedgwood Fiskars  
• Dr Natasha Mayo – Senior Lecturer, Cardiff Metropolitan College  
• Bisila Noha – Artist, Trustee at Headway East London, Co-Director at Lon Paintings, segment of Fabricate Can  
• Shane Porter – Clothier and Lecturer, Belfast Metropolitan Faculty  
• Youth Panel from Haywood Academy Secondary Faculty, Stoke-on-Trent. Supported by Mosey over Helen Morgan  

British British ceramics Biennial funders:   

The British British ceramics Biennial is funded by Stoke-on-Trent Metropolis Council and is supported the employ of public funding by Arts Council England.