Collect 2018 preview

Words Vilma Paasivaara

Returning to the Saatchi Gallery for its 14th edition, Collect brings together 40 galleries, over 400 artists and makers, as well as collectors and curious audiences from all over the world. Open to the public until 25 February, here’s our preview of one of the major events in the world of craft…

This year Collect includes a special section dedicated to celebrating the legacy of – and newly rekindled interest in – British studio pottery. The space is fittingly titled Masters of British Studio Pottery and visitors will be treated to a collection of widely different pieces spanning the last century. The selection, made by the Crafts Council, will feature works from contemporary names such as Martin Smith as well as offering a wide look into the work of the most significant ceramic artists of the 20th Century such as Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, and Ewen Henderson.

Collect Open (the recurring space dedicated to individual makers instead of galleries) also has an exciting line-up this year. The large-scale installations represent a wide range of different materials, techniques and approaches – from clay excavated from under the Thames, to projects combining digital with the traditional, to 300 thrown vessels linked with silver wire. Forest + Found will be unveiling The Between, their largest work to date, and you can also see an array of large-scale tapestries by Hannah Robson, Jilly Edwards and OMA Space.

A series of interesting talks will also unfold over the weekend, beginning with a panel discussion on Friday between woodworker Angus Ross, Dutch ceramicist Piet Stockmans, co-founder of South African textile collective Ubuhle Bev Gibson, Peter Ting of Ting Ying gallery and Gian Luca Amadei on how cross-cultural exchanges might affect attitudes towards traditional crafts.

We’ve already been once and we’re heading back to discover more extraordinary work over the weekend. Hope to see you there: watch this space for our continued coverage…