Category: News

For so many of us the festive season passes as an all-out frenetic buzz before we allow ourselves to draw breath on Boxing Day morning. In November’s edit we hope to restore a bit of balance throughout the month with a mix of festive events and opportunities to slow down, reflect and savour the experience.

We hope you will all find a quiet moment to enjoy our ‘Meet The Maker’ conversation with progressive sculptural artist and furniture designer Gareth Neal whose 3D printing practice is at the forefront of craft’s evolution today.

For more exceptional craftsmanship throughout the month please follow us on Instagram @londoncraftweek

Craft Capital

Our pick of what to see and do across London over the coming month

Christie’s Lates | The Artisan Edition

Christie’s, SW1, 2nd December, 6-9pm

Celebrate the art of craftsmanship with Christie’s at an evening event brimming with artisan talks, workshops and demonstrations. Helen Chislett, co-author of the newly released book “Craft Britain: Why Making Matters” will lead a panel discussion on the subject. Pocket some interior design tips from Edward Bulmer, marvel at the intricacy of stitching in the hands of Lora Avedian and try your hand at silver hammering, guided by master silversmith Wayne Meeten. 

Image: Laura Avedian at work | Credit: Laura Avedian | Photo by Aloha Bonser-Shaw

 

Searching for Apricity

Flow Gallery, W11, Until 17th January 2023

If ever a word should be brought back to common parlance it’s ‘apricity’. Meaning ‘the warmth of the winter sun’ it conjures the most appealing of seasonal moments. Through their joint exhibition of ceramics and textiles – ‘Searching for Apricity’ – Nancy Fuller and Maria Sigma invite us to slow down and contemplate our experience of the always-changing seasons.  

Image: Nancy Fuller ceramics | Credit: Flow Gallery

 

Paper & Clay by Canopy Collections

Cromwell Place, SW7, 6th-11th December 

London Craft Week is privileged to span multiple worlds, the boundaries between art, craft, design and architecture always being blurred. This ambiguity is embraced wholeheartedly by Francesca Anfossi, one of thirteen international artists brought together by Canopy Collections to explore different perspectives on the material nature of paper and clay. Working in close collaboration with local communities, Francesca’s handmade pieces are inspired by everyday domesticity, resulting in striking objects that flow from the nature of their material and fulfil genuine human needs. Does that make them craft, art or design? We’ll leave you to decide. 

Image: Tamara Van San, Tidal Wave, 2018. glazed ceramic | Courtesy of Canopy Collections

 

The Carpenters’ Line

Japan House London, W8, Until 29th January 2023

Retreat from the pre-Christmas bustle into the woods of the Japanese region of Hida. This exhibition of master woodworking exudes calm, but its subjects pack a punch. They honed and pushed their craft over the course of centuries to build some of Japan’s most famous temples and contribute to the collections of museums around the globe.

Image credit: Japan House London

 

Another Pantry Pop-Up Grocery Store

WC2, Until 1st December

Another Pantry is a contemporary food platform that champions seasonal, slow and conscious cooking. Founder Safia Shakarchi draws together the most thoughtful talents working in food today and brings their products and recipes to a home-cooking audience. For the rest of this month you can get a taste of their favourites at Another Pantry’s Pop-Up Grocery Store in Seven Dials. If you’re keen to don an apron and learn a thing or two, you might just be able to book one of the remaining tickets for Sunday’s Wildfarmed pasta-making workshop with Olivia Cavalli, using planet-pleasing regeneratively farmed flour. 

Image credit: Another Pantry | Photo by Liz Seabrook

Festive open studios and shopping events

Go off-piste to discover extraordinary handmade gifts this Christmas.

Cockpit Winter Open Studios

Bloomsbury, WC1, 24th-27th November & Deptford, SE8 3DZ, 2nd-4th December

This is likely not the first you’ve heard of Cockpit’s Open Studios, and with good reason: It’s the big one. Home to over 160 makers across a wide range of disciplines, we challenge anyone to come away empty-handed. See Beatrice Larkin (@beatricelarkin) pushing the capabilities of a Jacquard loom with woven translations of the blotches and blurred edges in her hand-sketched line drawings; Darren Appiagyei (@inthegrainn) demonstrating true respect for materials in the turning of exotic woods; and meet Majeda Clarke who believes so passionately about the importance of keeping community traditions alive, as she has done in learning from the Jamdhani weavers of Dhaka.

Image credit: Majeda Clarke 

 

Gareth Neal Festive Open Studio

N1, 26th November

A highlight of the De Beauvoir Christmas shopping trail, Gareth Neal will be lighting the fire, mulling the wine and inviting you to browse a selection of handmade wares. In this month’s Meet the Maker interview [link] he also shares that he’ll be putting some of his latest experiments with robot arms and traditional crafts on display.

Image courtesy of Gareth Neal | Photo by Cliqq studios

 

anatomē Christmas shopping event

W1, 3rd-4th December

In the spirit of balance this season, anatomē’s festive weekend promises a moment’s respite from the hubbub. Sip a botanical cocktail while creating bespoke bath oils and salts to gift, or maybe keep.

Image credit: anatome | Photo by Georgia Rudd

 

Studio Pottery London: Makers Christmas Market At Eccleston Yards

SW1, 26th-27th November 

Come for the selection of pottery from twenty ceramicists and leave with a new hobby for 2023. Studio Pottery London supports all lovers of clay with taster lessons for absolute beginners and a mentoring programme for more experienced potters.

Image credit: Studio Pottery London

Meet the Maker

Interview with Gareth Neal

Gareth Neal has been shining brightly on our radars this month. Not only will he open his doors for the festive event detailed above, but his work stars on the cover of ‘Craft Britain: Why Making Matters’. This is a fitting acknowledgement of the important role he is playing in stretching the boundaries of what is understood by craft today. 

We hear from Gareth about challenging notions of craft: “Many would question that if something is made without the hand is it even craft?”. 

We ask how it feels as a maker working with technology-first processes: “What’s so wonderful about the process of printing directly from the computer is the ability to see what you think it’s going to look like prior to committing precious material and resources to its existence.”

Gareth shares what he’s got his eye on across the capital this winter and we talk about the future. Read the full interview on our News page to hear about his dream commission and where the experiments are going next. Spoiler alert: It involves placing traditional craft techniques in the arms of robots.

Image: Gareth making the Zaha Vessels | Courtesy of Gareth Neal | Photo by Petr

Discover more makers and their stories.

 

Summer is well and truly with us and so this edit includes our pick of exhibitions and events to enjoy in the sunshine in some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, as well as our selection of material driven artists and works to see now across the UK.

Following the success of the Loewe Craft Prize exhibition in Seoul, which closes this weekend, the Loewe Foundation is once again opening applications for this prestigious award. If you think this could be your year then see further details below.

Image: Mèlisses, Andros, where Maria Sigma will be holding a weaving retreat this October.

Culture Fix

Discover our pick of exhibitions and events across the UK

Born from Earth, Richard Saltoun Gallery

Richard Saltoun Gallery presents Born from Earth, a group show that brings together ceramics by 11 contemporary artists, from pioneers of the craft to emerging artists pushing forward the medium today. The exhibition features a bespoke display designed by Lisa Chan, founder of It’s a Local Collective, transforming the gallery into an earthen landscape and creating a dialogue between art and architecture.

Image: Installation View, ‘Born from Earth’, Photography by Ben Westoby. Courtesy Richard Saltoun Gallery London and Rome.

Find out more

Festival of Quilts, NEC Birmingham, 18-21 August

In Translations: Trans-Atlantic and other Journeys, acclaimed quilter Michael A. Cummings applies his signature style to explore and imagine the African diaspora experience, as he has so memorably done throughout his extensive craft career. Using found objects, applique techniques, and his characteristically dynamic palette, Cummings’ exhibition will be a highlight at this annual international event.

Image: Michael A. Cummings, ‘James Baldwin: Born Into A Lie’, 2019. Courtesy Michael A. Cummings.

Find out more

Ruth Asawa: Citizen of the Universe, Modern Art Oxford, until 21 August

Don’t miss Citizen of the Universe, the much anticipated exhibition of works by the visionary artist, educator and activist Ruth Asawa. The exhibition features her signature hanging sculptures in looped and tied wire, and celebrates her holistic integration of art, education and community engagement by displaying prints, drawings, letters and photographs.

Image: Ruth Asawa Working on a Wire Sculpture at her Saturn Street Home, 1957. Photograph: Imogen Cunningham. © 2022 Imogen Cunningham Trust. Courtesy David Zwirner.

Find out more

 

In the Black Fantastic, Hayward Gallery, until 25 September

In the Black Fantastic, now on at the Hayward Gallery, features works by 11 artists, including Nick Cave, Sedrick Chisholm and Kara Walker. Blending myth, spiritual tradition, Afrofuturism, and science fiction, the show reveals how fantasy becomes a zone of creative and cultural liberation and a means of addressing racism and social injustice. A landmark exhibition.

Image: Installation view of Nick Cave works, ‘In the Black Fantastic’. Courtesy Hayward Gallery.

Find out more

 

Travel Diary

 

Hauser & Wirth Menorca, Illa del Rei, Menorca, on view until 13 November 

Art, education and conservation are brought together on Illa del Rei. Alongside the gallery buildings – repurposed from 18th-century outbuildings of a naval hospital – and immersed in the natural landscape of Illa del Rei, works by Spanish masters Joan Miró and Eduardo Chillida feature together with sculptures by modern icons Louise Bourgeois and Franz West as well as a new commission from Martin Creed.

Image: Franz West, ‘Autostat’, 1996 © Archiv Franz West © Estate Franz West Private collection. Courtesy Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Daniel Schäfer.

Find out more

Between Humankind and Nature, Istanbul ’74, Bodrum, until 10 September

Spread across the distinctive natural setting of the Aegean Riviera, Between Humankind and Nature, presented by Istanbul ’74, seeks to explore and nurture the creativity and artistic collaboration inherent to the cultural textures of this ancient location. Discover ceramics, sculptures, site-specific installations and collectible design pieces by national and international artists in crafts and cultures from around the world and across generations.

Image: Installation view of Cristián Mohaded works, ‘Between Humankind and Nature’. Courtesy Istanbul ’74.

Find out more

Spool of Golden Thread, Andros, Greece, 20-23 October 

Award-winning weaver Maria Sigma cites the Cycladic landscape of Andros, Greece, as a continuous source of inspiration. Join her for an island retreat at Mèlisses, Andros, where you can learn the art of both frame and band weaving while soaking up the last of the summer sun.

Find out more

Marguerite Escape, St Ives, Cornwall, 15-17 August

Join Marguerite, the club for women and non-binary people in the creative industries, for an escape to St Ives, Cornwall. Discover the natural landscapes that inspired Barbara Hepworth’s modernist sculptures, visit Tate St Ives and enjoy a stay at Harbour View House.

Find out more

Loewe Craft Prize 2023

Now open for applications

We’re pleased to share that LOEWE has opened submissions for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize 2023, which will take place in New York in spring next year.

The LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize was launched in 2016 to showcase and celebrate excellence, artistic merit and originality in modern craftsmanship, but the incentive for the prize goes back to LOEWE’s beginnings as a collective craft workshop in 1846.

Originally conceptualised by LOEWE’s creative director Jonathan Anderson, the award aims to acknowledge the importance of craft in today’s culture and to recognise working artists whose talent, vision and innovative approach set a standard for the future.

‘Craft is always going to be modern. It is about creating objects that have a formula of their own and speak their own language, creating a dialogue that didn’t exist before. It is about newness as much as it is about tradition.’  Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director, LOEWE.

Entries to the sixth edition of the prize will be accepted until 25 October 2022.

Find out more

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the London Craft Week team as Programme Coordinator.

Having recently successfully recruited a new Programme & Sales Manager, we are looking to expand our team with a confident individual with relevant sales experience, strong communication skills and meticulous attention to detail.

The successful candidate will join our small but dynamic team, playing a key role in delivering the annual city-wide festival celebrating exceptional creativity and craftsmanship from around the world.

To apply, please supply a CV in addition to a covering letter explaining in no more than 500 words how your skills and experience match the requirements of the role.

Please send your application to info@londoncraftweek.com. The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 14 September.

View the Job Description and Person Specification via the link here.

 

Photo credit Dan Weill Photography

Following the success of the second FiredUp4 charity auction, we sat down for a chat with esteemed ceramicist and shortlisted nominee for the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize 2022, Kate Malone MBE. In this special interview for LCW, you can discover more about Kate’s practice and the importance of putting clay into the hands of young people:

Kate, congratulations on the recently concluded FiredUp4 auction, the second charity fundraiser that brought together work by the UK’s leading ceramicists to raise funds for the provision of pottery studios, equipment and training at OnSide Youth Zones. The project, which you instigated, aims to install and provide teachers with the resources to put clay into the hands of young people around the UK, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of pottery.

Can you tell us a bit more about the origins of FiredUp4 and where the innovative idea for the charity auction came from?

After various conversations with collector Keith Seeley, he and his associate Neale Graham invited me to be Ceramic Ambassador for the fabulous OnSide Youth Zones.

We cooked up the idea of asking UK ceramic artists to donate a piece of work, with the concept of auctioning them to raise money to build studios and to then staff them. After considering different auction houses we settled on Maak – the online auction house for studio ceramics. Maak have been fantastic for the past couple of auctions, supporting us all the way and beyond. The artists were amazing, and were really responsive to giving beautiful pieces of their own work for auction for this project. As ceramic makers, we have all been very concerned about the lack of attention given to teaching craft skills in schools. So our concept was to take direct action; rather than sitting around worrying about it, to do something constructive.

 

Since the introduction of FiredUp4, over 250 young people at Inspire, Chorley Youth Zone and Wigan Youth Zone have experienced pottery, many for the first time, and there are three more studios planned using funds from the second auction. What impacts have you seen first hand, and what is next for FiredUp4?

The impact is clear: the joy of making and the confidence-building from experiencing the transformation from soft tactile material to hard ceramics is extraordinary. I am not on the ground with the studios in Wigan and Chorley and whilst I love spending time with children, I have had to be hard on myself and economical with my time. I have spent a third of my working time over the last couple of years on this project, focusing on fundraising which is where I feel my input is currently most constructive.

I believe in the benefits of making with clay, having been lucky enough to have had a government education that supported developing craft skills and I feel it is my pleasure to put back into the young community.

As to what is next for FiredUp4, the core team are going to meet over the summer to decide a way forward. So far, for obvious reasons, we have asked makers whose work is of higher value to contribute, but I don’t feel that we can keep asking the same people and also many more ceramic makers have wanted to contribute to our objective. So we really have to knock our heads together to come up with a new plan or develop our previous action in a new way.

What is sure is that I would like to provide a way in which all makers can help the young of today. I would dream that every maker, if they are so inclined, might send a little bit of money every time they sell a pot or have a successful exhibition. There are thousands of makers in the UK now, especially after the surge in interest in making with clay – it is the new meditation or yoga – and working with clay is infectious. I would like to think that we can give a callout to all makers to take direct action and help get the money for FiredUp4 to action our manifesto for young people to benefit. They need it now more than ever.

 

Clay session at the Firedup4 Inspire Onside YouthZone clay studio, Chorley Photo: Courtesy Inspire YouthZone

 

Is there anything you’ve learned from the young people participating in these classes? Has it changed your own practice in any way?

No, sadly I have not been able to participate in too many classes yet – I would like to think that I will be more involved as we move forward. The main thing is that we are as effective as possible, as the young of today really need this exciting medium which provides sanctuary and stimulation. It builds confidence and is fun. To use the hands in a constructive, tangible way makes a better, more aware and rounded person.

 

Your powerful stoneware piece, ‘Magma Interrupted’ has been shortlisted for the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize 2022. The work combines geometric forms, flat planes and sharp angles with a dynamic crystalline glaze, rather than the typically fecund curved surfaces and forms of your work. What was the inspiration behind this piece? Does it signal a new approach to your practice?

It is a great honour to have been shortlisted and to be part of this extraordinary project. The LOEWE Foundation, having run the prize for five years, has created an inspiring initiative that is raising the bar for the craft sector on an international scale and encouraging respect for skill, tradition and innovation.

My work is based on the subject of nature. At one stage it was about the sea, then it was about the nature of the earth – such as seeds, plants, fruits, and vegetables, and for the past 10 years I have also ventured into a more abstract interpretation of nature as part of the evolution of my forms.

The Magma piece that has been shortlisted for this prize is still about nature – crystal formations, geology, geometry, and nature of the underworld. Deep in the earth’s crust there is a bubbling molten lava creating crystalline forms all of the time; nature at the very core of this planet. This series of work does look very different with its flat plains and sharp edges, compared to the fecund, generous gourd and pumpkin shapes, but in fact the inspiration and subject is the same: nature and its ‘life force’.

I have in fact been making these geometric Magma pieces and exhibiting them with Adrian Sassoon, my exclusive art dealer, for some years, however they have not really been seen in many public exhibitions. I’m pleased to say that Sassoon sells them quite quickly, so people think that they are new when in fact they have been trickling through as a series alongside my more recognisable naturally inspired pieces. I have worked in the past with architects on the built environment, and I think that perhaps the effect of looking at the flat planes that are common to buildings has also had an effect on this series of pieces.

 

‘Magma Interrupted’, 2019 by Kate Malone Photo: Sylvain Deleu, Courtesy Adrian Sassoon

 

You’re currently in Seoul, where the winner of the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize 2022 will be announced on 30 June, followed by an exhibition of all 30 artists with shortlisted works at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, are there any exciting upcoming projects or commissions that you can share with us?

I am beyond excited, as I’ve seen the preparations for the exhibition and the opening party at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. I am now travelling with my husband and daughter to the south to absorb more of this extraordinary country and culture.

As for the rest of the year, in August I am working with a wheel thrower towards making a set of supersized ceramic gourd pots. Russell Gibbs of Cheddar Gorge Pottery is a superbly skilled practitioner, and I am looking forward to working with him for the second time on this new range of pieces.

As always, I will be exhibiting my work with Adrian Sassoon at Masterpiece next week in London. I very much enjoy being on the exhibition stand with the Sassoon team, however as I’m in Korea I will be sadly missing out on that great pleasure this year. I will also be exhibiting with Sassoon in New York and London in the autumn.

Alongside developing FiredUp4 and making studio pottery in my new studios in Kent, I am developing an educational archive with a record of my studio ceramics and the public artworks that I have undertaken over the last 40 years. A lot of people don’t realise that I make large-scale pieces for the public domain for schools, hospitals, libraries, parks and buildings. This is going to be carefully documented in my archive. I also plan to make video masterclasses which will be available on my recently updated website.

My objective is to share the pleasures of making, and the experience that I have gained from over 40 years of working with clay. The ceramic field as a whole in the UK is incredibly kind and open, and ready to share knowledge and resources. Hooray for clay!

 

---

Featured image: Kate at her Kent studio Photo: courtesy of Adrian Sassoon by Sylvain Deleu

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the London Craft Week team as our Programme & Sales Manager.

We are looking for a confident individual with strong sales experience, exceptional communication skills and meticulous attention to detail. The successful candidate will join our small but dynamic team, playing a key creative role in delivering the annual city-wide festival celebrating exceptional craftsmanship from around the world.

To apply, please supply a CV in addition to a covering letter explaining in no more than 500 words how your skills and experience match the requirements of the role.

Please send your application to info@londoncraftweek.com. The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 20 July.

View the Job Description and Person Specification via the link here.

 

 

 

Image by Dan Weill Photography 

Would you like to be part of LCW 2023?

 

London Craft Week is committed to supporting the work of emerging artist-maker-designers. Each year we are delighted to offer 25% of our Bronze Level places free of charge to independent makers, charities and sole traders.

We are now welcoming applications from individuals who are keen to be involved in next year’s festival (8–14 May 2023) and are particularly keen to hear from makers and sole traders at the start of their career.

LCW aims to showcase outstanding British and international creativity to our visitors. Our curated programme of events brings together discerning consumers with makers, designers, brands and galleries, creating a unique opportunity to build engagement and sales.

As there are a limited number of spaces, each applicant for a free space must send in a proposal of their event which will be reviewed by the LCW team, and then offered on a discretionary basis.

Please apply via the online form below if you believe you qualify. The deadline for programme applications is 25 November 2022.

 

Apply Here

 

---

Featured Image: The Future of Craft at London Craft Week 2022 by Ollie Rudkin Photography

London Craft Week 2022 has now come to a close, and we’d like to thank everyone who visited this year’s line-up of exhibitions, talks, demonstrations, workshops, tastings and tours.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the eighth edition of the festival. If you attended events during the week, please tell us about your experience through our 2022 survey below. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete, and all entries will have the chance to win £500 to spend at Liberty London.

If you weren’t able to fit everything into the week then don’t worry, as we’ve put together an edit of some of the talks and exhibitions that you can catch up on this month.

 

Take the Survey

 

---

Exhibitions

 

Quartet: Goldsmithing in London Now
Until 22 May

 

Visit Quartet: Goldsmithing in London Now at Sotheby’s; a group exhibition of work by contemporary jewellery designers Sian Evans, Castro Smith, Lucie Gledhill and Christopher Thompson-Royds (above), who are at the forefront of a new generation of goldsmiths. The exhibition showcases the designers’ use of ancient techniques applied with a modern aesthetic. Find out more.

 

Brodie Neill: Material Consciousness
Until 19 May

 

LCW 2022 reflected the growing interest in craft from collectors of furniture, decorative arts and jewellery. Don’t miss Material Consciousness: Reshaping the world’s most precious resources, an exhibition of new works by Brodie Neill Studio forming part of Sotheby’s Design series. Explore a new collection of sustainable furniture that reshapes precious resources into a range of collectable design pieces. Find out more.

 

LCF x LCW
Until 31 May

 

London College of Fashion, UAL presents a portfolio of craft excellence across footwear, accessories, jewellery, tailoring and artefacts from tomorrow’s 3D thinkers, makers and doers. Featuring 3D products, objets d’art and 2D-crafted content including film, photo, illustration and image making from Bachelors and Masters courses, the physical experience is accompanied by unique digital content. Find out more.

 

Light Up Your World
Until mid-June 2022

 

As part of a series of kaleidoscopic collaborations for London Craft Week, The Conran Shop enlisted designer Yinka Ilori to create a colourful installation highlighting the store’s latest outdoor furniture collection. Ilori has worked with LG’s most-advanced OLED televisions to create a series of bold graphic sculptures to encase the devices, bringing his distinctive colour palette to life. Find out more.

 

The Gallery by the Crafts Council, Edit by Liberty
Until July 2022

 

Liberty is hosting a curated edit of crafted objects in partnership with the Crafts Council to celebrate LCW. The Gallery is a new shoppable art exhibition showcasing the work of some of the UK’s most exciting contemporary creatives. Situated on the fourth floor of Liberty’s iconic store, visitors are able to view and buy the work of independent craftspeople from across the craft spectrum. Find out more.

 

Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye at Tristan Hoare Gallery
Until 1 June

 

Turkish-Danish artist Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye has built an international reputation as a ceramist by modelling bowls. The simplicity of design and perfection of proportion of Alev’s small vessels, glazed in saturated pigments and adorned with delicate detailing around the lip, give them a timeless quality and a surprising gravity. Her solo exhibition is at Tristan Hoare Gallery until 1 June 2022. Find out more.

 

Plant Explorations at The New Craftsmen
Until mid-June 2022

 

To mark their 10-year anniversary, The New Craftsmen has invited their makers to reflect upon, and take inspiration from, the evolution and uses of their craft along with the skill and imagination of makers across the centuries, and respond by creating their own unique pieces. ‘Plant Explorations’ delves into the making traditions centralised around plants, and humanity’s ever resourceful, ingenious and imaginative approach to finding practical and beautiful solutions for their needs. Find out more.

 

Talks

 

Pioneering Innovation in Making

 

On 11 May, London Craft Week’s Innovation Partner, The Mills Fabrica, hosted a conversation with Dezeen, the biomaterial innovation company Modern Synthesis and Renewcell, creators of Circulose®, a new natural material closing the loop on fashion. Hear them discuss their explorations and experiments in material innovation and its applications, from furniture to footwear. Watch now.

 

Break Out Culture: The Crafty Episode

 

Break Out Culture, Country and Town House’s podcast with culture editor, Ed Vaizey, and associate editor, Charlotte Metcalf, interviewed London Craft Week’s Founder and Chairman, Guy Salter OBE, and co-curator of the V&A’s Fashioning Masculinities exhibition, Rosalind McKever, for a discussion on positioning craft firmly within the cultural mainstream. Listen now.

 

Be-Spoke: The Vital Art of Commissioning

 

Bespoke objects and experiences hold great appeal, yet the process of commissioning a one-off piece remains a mystery. Be-Spoke podcast held a panel discussion featuring gallerist Shiro Muchiri; Head of Interiors at Squire and Partners, Maria Cheung, and glass artist Kate Maestri. Together with host Adriana Paice Kent of Woven Spaces, they considered different approaches to the commissioning process. Listen now.

 

UK Makers and the Stories Behind Their Craft

 

Artisanal concept store Vigour and Skills hosted a series of live demonstrations and talks during London Craft Week with their community of makers in ceramics, leather, jewellery and rush weaving. Highlights included a conversation between Ginnie Chadwyck Healey and Ruth Rands of HERD Knitwear, exploring circular fashion and British wool, and a talk with jewellery designer Shakti Ellenwood. Watch now. 

 

FiredUp4 Charity Auction

 

FiredUp4 launched their online charity auction as part of London Craft Week at the Museum of the Home, with an in conversation between Museum of the Home director Sonia Solicari, artist Barnaby Barford, ceramicist Rich Miller and market specialist Marijke Varrall-Jones. Watch the talk via the link below, and click here to discover the auction, which closes on 27 May. Watch now.

 

Creations Enlivened: Metal

 

Organised by Crafts on Peel and co-sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (London), Creations Enlivened: Metal showcases the work of traditional craftspeople and contemporary artisans from Hong Kong working across a myriad of metals, including copper, brass, silver, tin and galvanised iron. As part of the virtual exhibition, watch demonstrations in engraving and craft-ligraphy. Watch now.

 

---

Image courtesy of Liberty London

Sign up to our newsletter below to get the latest London Craft Week news and curated content delivered straight to your inbox.

London Craft Week 2022 is now over and we hope you enjoyed the festival. From exhibitions, demonstrations and talks to workshops, tastings and open studios, it was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate outstanding creativity and craftsmanship.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this year’s edition of LCW. Please tell us about your experience through our 2022 survey. The survey will take around 10 minutes to complete, and all entries will have the chance to win £500 to spend at Liberty London.

 

Take the Survey

 

Image: Serapian at London Craft Week 2022. Photo by Dan Weill

A fraternity of world-class craftspeople, artisans, curators and makers, the Pimlico Road Design District in Belgravia is the apex of inspiring design and best-in-class interiors. From sculpture to woodworking, embroidery to textile making, Pimlico Road is a melting pot and meeting place for craft and design.

For London Craft Week 2022, the Pimlico Road Design District presents the seventh annual Pimlico Road Series. Through a programme of inspiring talks, interactive workshops and fascinating demonstrations, discover a creative neighbourhood full of style, inspiration and exceptional craftsmanship.

 

Vienna Vibes
Tues 10 May, 5pm–8pm
Pimlico Road

 

Celebrating the golden age of the Wiener Moderne period, Bonadea is transformed into Vienna with an exhibition of works by Bodo Sperlein and premier Austrian artisan makers. Book now.

 

The Easy Chair
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

The Edward Barnsley Workshop launches the second in a new series of Easy Chairs in collaboration with Soane Britain. This one-of-a-kind model incorporates a rattan seat and back. Find out more.

 

Gio Ponti: A Conversation with Caterina Licitra-Ponti
Wed 11 May, 6.30pm–8pm
Pimlico Road

 

Robertaebasta London hosts Caterina Licitra-Ponti for an event dedicated to the great master of Italian design, Gio Ponti, discussing his life and legacy. Book now.

 

Meet the Masters: Hand Embroidery Demonstration
Mon 9–Fri 13 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

For the first time ever, Chelsea Textiles brings a team of their master craftspeople to London to demonstrate their skill in hand embroidery. Stop by and be mesmerised by this ancient craft. Find out more.

 

Document to Design: The Robert Kime Collection
Fri 13 May, 10am–6pm
Pimlico Road

 

Visit Robert Kime Limited in Ebury Street to learn how Robert and his team work to design and expand the Robert Kime fabric collection, taking inspiration from his travels. Find out more.

 

LCW Lates: The Pimlico Road Edition
Wed 11 May, 6pm–8pm
Pimlico Road

 

Go behind the scenes on Pimlico Road for an exclusive opportunity to explore the world-renowned boutiques and studios after hours, while enjoying drinks from amie rosé. Book now.

 

The Imperfect Nature Within Space: Well Crafted Interiors, 20th Century to Present Day
Thurs 12 May, 6.30pm
Pimlico Road

 

Chaired by David Nicholls, Deputy Editor of House & Garden, Chris Cox discusses crafted interiors with industry experts Adam Hills, Sarah Myerscough, and Victoria Davar. Book now.

 

de Le Cuona presents Nic Webb, The Natural Drama of Materials
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

de Le Cuona hosts a pop-up exhibition of sculptures by Nic Webb. Both de Le Cuona and Nic Webb use natural materials and combine traditional skills with experimental processes. Find out more.

 

Howe x Gaia Di Paola
Mon 9–Sun 15 May, 9.30am–5pm
Pimlico Road

 

Leather, textile and wallpaper seller Howe at 36 Bourne Street welcomes local textile artist Gaia Di Paola who will be painting, drawing and embroidering with a variety of Howe fabrics. Find out more.

 

The Family History Trail
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

Delve into the heritage of Carl Hansen & Søn on a history trail, and find out how they champion timeless beauty, comfort, craftsmanship and sustainability in their designs. Find out more.

 

‘Still, Quiet’: PINCH x Be Still Ceramics
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

PINCH hosts Sarah Maingot of Be Still Ceramics, celebrating sculptural shape and form and the maker’s and designer’s relationship with material. Find out more.

 

The Finishing Touch with Brian Turner Trimmings
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler invites Brian Turner Trimmings Ltd. into their showroom for an exhibition of his handcrafted trimmings, alongside live demonstrations. Find out more.

 

Celebrating 45 Years of Collier Webb
Mon 9–Fri 13 May, 9.30am–5.30pm
Pimlico Road

 

To celebrate Collier Webb’s 45-year anniversary, the lower ground floor of their showroom is transformed into an immersive cinematic space, evoking the Sussex foundry. Find out more.

Image: Alun Callender

 

Ochre presents The Drifter Light
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

Taken from the cricket term ‘drift’ and inspired by dancing forms of driftwood gliding through water, Ochre‘s Drifter light is hand-carved in oak by traditional British cricket bat makers. Find out more.

 

Margo Selby: Handwoven Geometric Art at 88 Gallery
Mon 9–Sat 14 May, various times
Pimlico Road

 

Margo Selby is an artist and designer working with colour and geometric form in woven textiles. View her works on display at 88 Gallery and meet Margo on Wednesday 11 May. Find out more.

 

Botanical Cloth-Dyeing Workshop with Cloth Collective
Thurs 12 May, 6pm–8pm
Pimlico Road

 

Daylesford hosts Charlotte Lawson Johnston of Cloth Collective for a botanical cloth hand-dyeing workshop, using organic flowers from Daylesford’s market garden. Book now.

 

London Craft Week at Studio Pottery London
Wed 11 and Thurs 12 May, 7pm–8pm
Belgravia

 

At Studio Pottery London, watch ‘A Smashing Performance’ by Sue Paraskeva and join Holly Tucker MBE, founder of Not On The High Street, as she discusses turning passion into profit.

 

Hiro Nakata: Pots for Daily Use at egg
Tues 10–Sat 14 May, 10am–6pm
Belgravia

 

For London Craft Week, egg brings together a selection of favoured ceramic pieces by Hiro Nakata: bowls, beakers and dishes in honest glazes that celebrate daily life. Find out more.

 

Unframing Art: Alba Amicorum Open Studio
Mon 9–Sun 15 May, various times
Belgravia

 

Based in a historic Belgravia mews, Alba Amicorum is a space for people with a deep interest in art. Explore the studio and discover collectable scarf collaborations, prints and more. Book now.

 

Fashion Upcycling with Anna Mason
Thurs 12 May, 2pm–4.30pm
Belgravia

 

British designer, Anna Mason, has partnered with pioneering fabric resale platform Haines Collection to present a lampshade making and fabric upcycling workshop. Find out more.

 

The World of Interiors

 

The World of Interiors is the Official Media Partner for the LCW 2022 Pimlico Road Series.

For 40 years The World of Interiors has documented the rich diversity of ways in which we live, showcasing the stylish and the unexpected as well as applauding individuality. As we turn to face the roaring twenties, with Hamish Bowles as the magazine’s third editor in chief, WoI embraces the past, celebrates the present and heralds the future. Find out more.

Image: Cox London by Alun Callender

 

---

Featured image courtesy Howe at 36 Bourne Street

Discover the Pimlico Road Series on our Featured Projects page