We would like to start a forum where everybody can share thoughts, ideas and discoveries/examples, thoughts and ideas in this field. As this blog will develop (in interesting directions) we will find new angles and questions to the theme “alternative exhibition spaces”. We hope you will share your thoughts and ideas!

Many of the Danish ceramic galleries are closed which leads to ceramisists trying to find new ways of professional exposure. Because of this the ceramisists have to find other canals to exhibit their work. 
Is this happening just because of the lack of galleries? Are there today an urge to defy traditional ways of exhibiting? 
Where are ceramics exposed in 2010 and where will it be presented in the future?

Sigrid Espelien and Sissel Wathne

Links to alternative exhibition spaces: 
www.christin.dk – Window 107
www.galleriblunk.com

Winter on Bornholm is in many ways very still. The artists and craftmakers that live here are in a kind of winter sleep. The silent winter leaves time and space to immerse ourself in our craft  professions, and come up with new ideas for projects and works. Even though it is quiet, exibitons and events are still taking place.

The exibition by Jakob Stig Isaksen og Maj-Britt Zelmer called ”Lag mellem Lys og Skygge” (”Layers of Light and Shadow”)  is an example of glass and ceramic art going on during winter on Bornholm. In spite of the differences in the materials their approach and focus is in many ways the same, light, shadows, spatiality and transparency.

At the Exibition you can experience ”Form-wall”. A space installation. It consists of thin porcelain plates with and without transpararent glaze hanging from strings.The work is percieved airy and fragile and the light break through the layers and rows of plates. ”Form-wall” has an almost  jewellery-like easthetic expression in the way it is presented

“Dishes” of various sizes built up by rings with a thick delicious celadon glaze, fired so they  collapse and melt together can also be experienced at the exhibition.

The overall expression of the exibition is calm and beautifull. The audience can experience works and installations, that invites them to be lost in the detail and enjoy the well crafted works in ceramic and glass.

Lag mellem Lys og Skygge can be seen at Gallery Rasch, Nørregade 19, 3700 Rønne. Until the 14th March.

A major European ceramic event.
For the first time this event presented contemporary European ceramics. Through exhibitions, conference, workshops, master classes and a technical display we aimed to discuss and experience the situation of European ceramics in 2006. European Ceramic Context was jointly organized in collaboration between The Art Museum on Bornholm, Business Center Bornholm, Danmarks Designskole Bornholm, Grønbechs Gård, Møbelfabrikken and Hjorths Fabrik – Bornholms Keramikmuseum.
All of the 25 members of the European Union were participating, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
The Danish Ministry of Culture, The Local Municipality of Bornholm as well as a number of funds and private sponsors are financing the event.

List of Sponsors 2006 pdf

3 extensive exhibitions presented the best of European Ceramics
3 exhibitions presented 143 artists and industrial designers from 28 European Countries in the categories: Established Ceramists, Young Ceramists and Industrial Design. 
A National commissioner from their relevant country carefully selected the exhibiting artists. 
2 artists from each country were represented with 2 principal pieces of work in each of the 3 exhibition categories.
The exhibition for young Ceramists were shown at Grønbechs Gård, the exhibition for Industrial Design at Hjorths Fabrik, and the exhibition for Established Ceramists was shown at The Art Museum on Bornholm.

3 grand prizes of € 10.000
A prize of 10.000 € were given to one outstanding artist in each exhibition category.
A jury of 5 International members with expertise in the field of ceramics selected the prizewinners.

The jury members
Nino Caruso, IT
Peteris Martinsons LT
Martina Margetts, UK
Janet Mansfield, AUS
Lars Kærulf Møller, DK

The prize winners
Established artists: Theodora Chorafas, GR
Young ceramists: Mattia Vernocchi, IT
Industrial ceramic designers: Piet Stockmans, BG

List of National Commissioners pdf
List of all Exhibiting Artists and Industrial Designers pdf

A Conference

Conference themes
“The landscape of European ceramics: How has it been and is connected to local traditions of philosophy, scholarship and educational structures?”
“Professionalism in ceramic design and craft; can we link this to the multitude of different national, economical and cultural settings with their varying speeds of development?”
“Can we define a European common denominator over and above those movements linked with national philosophy, culture and community?”
“Pan-European migration, globalisation and the information highway influencing tradition and national cultural awareness.”
“European influences in the International ceramics arena.”
“Who is setting the agenda? A look at the impact of magazines, galleries and shops upon current European ceramic tendencies.”

The speakers were
Panel moderator: John Gibson, Danmarks Designskole Bornholm
Paul Greenhalgh, Director and President Corcoran Gallery and School of Art, Washington DC “The Current Context and the History of European Ceramics”
Karen Lisa Salamon, Associate Professor, Ph.D., anthropologist, Denmark’s Design School, Denmark “Authenticity – issues of identity-politics and authentification in crafts and design”
Anders Ruhwald, Ceramist Denmark
Gabi Dewald, Chief Editor of the German ceramics magazine KeramikMagazin. “Rebuilding the Tower of Babel?”
Jorunn Veiteberg, Professor at Bergen National Academy of the Arts, Norway “Material or medium – different positions in contemporary ceramics”
Nino Caruso, Ceramist Italy
Janet Mansfield, ceramist and editor of the journal ‘Ceramics: Art and Perception’, Australia “In Search of a Common European Identity”
Louise Mazanti, Ph.D. Candidate, Denmark’s Design School, Denmark“Running the bike with different goals – ceramic context and the development of professions”
Michael Geertsen, Ceramist Denmark 
Edmund de Waal, ceramist and art critic, United Kingdom, “Making Meaning: Ceramics in the 21st Century”
Sissel Wathne, Ceramist Denmark

An International Student workshop
Students from all over Europe will be addressing the theme:
“DECONSTUCRING THE PAST, BUILDING THE FUTURE”
Hjorth’s Factory Bornholm – Museum of Ceramics, a working factory museum, will be the focus for this workshop.
The students will address the following questions:
“How do we see the role of a working ceramic museum in our shifting future?
“What are the expectations of young clay practitioners from a working ceramic museum?”
“What influences and consequences occur when the past meets the future?””

A major European event in glass.
For the first time this event presented contemporary European glass. Through exhibitions, conference, workshops, master classes and a technical display we aimed to discuss and experience the situation of European glass in 2008.
European Glass Context is jointly organized in collaboration between The Art Museum on Bornholm, Business Center Bornholm, Danmarks Designskole Bornholm, Grønbechs Gård and Møbelfabrikken.
All of the 27 members of the European Union are participating, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
The Danish Ministry of Culture, The Local Municipality of Bornholm as well as a number of funds and private sponsors are financing the event.

List of sponsors 2008 pdf

3 extensive exhibitions presented the best of European Glass
3 exhibitions presented 154 artists and industrial designers from 28 European Countries in the categories: Established artists, Emerging artists and Industrial Design.
A National commissioner from their relevant country carefully selected the exhibiting artists. The selected artist must be of the Nationality of the country they represent, but can live abroad.
2 artists from each country were represented with 2 principal pieces of work in each of the 3 exhibition categories.
The exhibition for Emerging Artists and Industrial Design was shown at Grønbechs Gård, and the exhibition for Established Artists was shown at The Art Museum on Bornholm.
An exclusive catalogue was produced and represented all exhibiting artists with images of the artist’s work, a CV and a short critical note written by the national commissioners.
The openings of all 3 exhibitions were held on September 13^th and ended October 19^th 2008.

List of national commissioners pdf
List of exhibiting artists and industrial designers pdf

3 grand prizes of € 10.000
A prize of 10.000 € were given to one outstanding artist in each exhibition category.
A jury of 5 International members with expertise in the field of glass selected the prizewinners.

The jury members
Ann Wåhlström, independent artist and industrial designer, SE.
Reino Leifkes, Senior Curator of glass and ceramics at Victoria & Albert Museum London, UK.
Jack Wax, independent artist and Professor, US.
Sibylle Peretti, independent artist from Germany/US.
Lars kærulf Møller, Museum director of Bornholms Kunstmuseum, DK.

The Prizewinners
Established Artists: Angela Jarman, UK
Emerging Artists: Pernille Braun Jørgensen, DK
Industrial Design: Aldo Bagger, NL

International student workshop
European Glass Context organized an international workshop with 2 invited students from the main national educational institution with a glass department from 30 European countries, in all 60 European students will be invited.
Despite the general title being European Glass Context, this workshop will not necessarily center on glass. Current themes related to the cultural and traditional identity of Europe today, will be discussed.
Prior to the workshop students will be asked to prepare, by collecting items that they believe represent or relate to the cultural and national identity of their country. A standardized box will be provided for this.
The contents of these boxes and the cultural diversity in this unique group of students from 30 different nationalities will be the starting point of the visual and theoretical interpretations and discussions for the workshop. Some of the issues we will be addressing will be cultural identity, quality and interpretations, cultural boundaries and connections, definitions of European tendencies and movements.

Instructors
Anthropologist Karen Lisa Salamon, DK
Visual Artist Martin Thaulow, DK
Educator and Artist Jocelyne Prince, USA

The conference
The general theme on the conference is:
“Identifying European Contemporary Glass through tradition, culture and technology”.
Internationally recognized speakers and lecturers presented papers and discussed questions like:
“In which image is European studio glass seen in the international arena”.
“In which image is European studio glass seen in the broader cultural perspective?”
“Can we define a European common tradition over and above those movements linked with national philosophy, cultures and community?”
“Can we identify any factors involved in the multitude of different national, economical and cultural settings and their varying speeds of technical and traditional developments in studio glass.”
The conference took place at Danmarks Designskole Bornholm September 14^th – 15^th 2008.

Conference Program pdf

A master class investigating traditional process and new technology.
The master class was open for general admission and had the theme “Traditional Process – New Technology”
This class will investigate and explore the creative use of digital technologies, by combining the traditional craftsmanship and process of glass making and new technology forms, such as 3D digital modelling.
With a strong emphasis on experimentation and innovative thinking, students will be working in a hands-on approach with 3D digital modelling and traditional glass making, such as glass blowing and various ways of casting.
The Master Class was canceled.

The technical display and the innovations Stipends
This is a sale fair where companies present equipment, tools, materials and supplies for glass making.
There are two innovations stipend available at the technical display. These are meant for small new businesses to show their newest innovations in equipment, tools or other revolutionary inventions for glass manufacturing. The winner of the innovation stipend was Gilad for his Analog glory hole door system.
Møbelfabrikken 12^th – 14^th of September 2008.

European Glass and  Ceramic Context forms part of a biennial symposium for European contemporary glass and ceramics on the island of Bornholm in Denmark. Through comprehensive exhibitions, workshops, master classes and lectures, we aim to cover the topic and show an overview of contemporary European glass and ceramics with changing biannual exposure.
This event is motivated by a desire to promote the disciplines and trades of glass and ceramic art at European and global levels.  
European Ceramic Context was presented for the first time in 2006 and European Glass Context successfully completed in 2008.

European Glass Context 2008

European Ceramic Context 2006

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01  ECC-NEWS-1

The National Commissioners play a vital role in the profile and organization of European Ceramic Context. Their choices will outline the direction of which ceramic is going in their relevant country.

Austria – Cecile Dujardin, Senior Artist at Department of Ceramics, University of Applied Arts Vienna
Belgium – Tania De Bruycker, Curator at Centrum Goed Werk
Bulgaria – Mr. Dimitar Grozdanov, Head of the international section of the Union of Bulgarian Artists
Cyprus – Yiannos Anastassiou, Architect and town Counsellor, Limassol
Czech Republic – Mr. Milan Hlaves, Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Department of Ceramics and Glass
Denmark – Lise Seisbøll, Museum Director at Grimmerhus Museum of Ceramics
Estonia – Merike Alber, Director of Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Tallinn
Finland – Tapio Yli-Viikari, Head of Ceramics Department at University of Art and Design Helsinki
France – Dale Dorosh, Director of AiR Vallauris, Artist in Residence Programme
Germany – Dr. Walter Lokau Independent Curator
Greece – Kostas Tarkassis, editor in chief of Clayart International Magazine
Hungary – János Probstner, Director of the International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét
Iceland- Sunneva Hafsteinsdottir, Director of Handverk og Hönnun (Craft and Design in Iceland) Reykjavik
Ireland – Audrey Whitty, Curator at National Museum of Ireland, Department of Arts and History
Italy – Mr. Franco Bertoni, Director at Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche Faenza
Latvia – Dace Lavina, Head of Ceramics Department, Museum of Dekorative Art and Design Riga
Lithuania – Raimonda Simanaitiene, Art Critic
Luxembourg – Guy Bollendorff, Ceramic Artist, Vianden
Malta – Mr. Fabrizio Mifsud, Arts Executive at Malta Council for Culture and the Arts
The Netherlands – Thimo te Duits, Design Conservator and Curator of Design, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Norway-Jan Lauritz Opstad, Museum Director, Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, Trondheim
Poland – Dorota Milkowska, Independent Curator
Portugal – Prof.Fernando Carradas & Mr. José Frade, Escola Superior de Artes e Design
Romania – Simona Tánásecsu, Senior Advisor of Culture, Romanian Government
Slovakia - Mr. PhD. Stefan Orisko,  Assistant Professor of art history at Comenius University, Bratislava
Slovenia – Iztok Maroh, Faculty at Ceramics and Glass Department at University of Ljubljana
Spain – Mr. Antonio Vivas, Editor and publisher of CERAMICA Magazine and member of AIC
Sweden – Maj Sandell, Artistic Director at Gustavsbergs Konsthall
Switzerland – Rebecca Maeder, Swiss Ceramics Association
United Kingdom – Felicity Aylieff, Senior Tutor at the Department of Ceramics, Royal College of Art, London

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Deadlines
National Commissioners Tasks
Artist Terms

1.8 – 30.9 2010

European Ceramic Context 2010 and Air Bornholm is cooperating on offering a six-week residency for up to eight talented ceramic Artists.  Selected artists will be given the time and space to develop a new project or body of work in ceramics.
ECC2010 will accept applications from  European as well as non-European professional ceramic artists.

Two residencies are offered at Svanekegaarden.
Four residencies are offered at Møbelfabrikken.
Two residencies are offered at Danmarks Designskole Bornholm.

Deadline 1.3 2010.

Application Form all resicencies – pdf

Nature of the residencies

The residency provides six weeks free access to studio facilities at either Svanekegaarden, Møbelfabrikken or Danmarks Designskole Bornholm.

The residencies are offered to professional ceramic artists, who are expected to be proficient in the processes and techniques discussed in their residency application.

The residency will be provided with basic materials and access to kilns and firerings during this period.

The resident will be offered housing at either Svanekegaarden or Møbelfabrikken, depending on where the resident will be working.

The resident is responsible for organizing and paying for their own travels to and from Bornholm.

Residents will be responsible for providing, bringing or preordering any specialist materials other than the basics provided by ECC2010.

Assistance with contact info to suppliers in Scandinavia is available on request.

The resident must bring all specialist- and hand tools needed.

The period of the residency is granted to the named resident only, partners and other makers are not allowed to work in the studios during this time.

During the period of the residency it is incumbent on the resident to communicate, aid and assist his or her fellow residents in an open and friendly manner. This interaction and exchange is seen as being one of the benefits and challenges of the residence period.

Detailed information

2 residencies at Svanekegaarden – pdf

4 residencies at Møbelfabrikken – pdf

2 residencies at Danmarks Designskole Bornholm – pdf

Member of ResArtis – world wide network of Artist Residencies

European Ceramic Context 2010 is organizing a number of Master Classes, that will be open for enrollment to all professional ceramic artists who wishes to extend their knowledge or seek inspiration and challenge for their daily studio-practice. Master classes will be taught by accomplished instructors and professional artists.
More details will be announced later.