Artists:

Shirley Bhatnagar (IN), Andrew Burton (UK), Wookjae Maeng (KR)

In 2019 in partnership with the Indian Ceramics Triennale and Korean International Ceramic Biennale, British Ceramics Biennial is host to two international artists in residence; Shirley Bhatnagar (IN) and Wookjae Maeng (KR) whilst Andrew Burton (UK) is hosted by the Korean International Ceramics Biennale during its festival 2/08 – 10/11/2019.

Wookjae Maeng’s residency period in Stoke-on-Trent extends his practice through sensitively engaging with cultural and social perspectives on heritage, environment and a post-industrial landscape. Maeng creates an experiential installation of meticulously made, bone china animals aiming to evoke curiosity and empathy in challenging our relationship with creatures that live within our urban environments.

Shirley Bhatnagar’s residency project Beyond White Mughals references the book by British author William Dalrymple, and proposes to revisit the cultural linkages between India and Great Britain. True to her practice of humorous comment on politics and society, mostly by way of hybrid anthropomorphic ceramic sculpture, her work at BCB will explore alternative historical narratives interrogating the subtle cultural nuances of the former colonial relationship.

During his period of residence in Korea Andrew Burton creates work in response to the Korean International Ceramics Biennale’s theme – Peace. Exploring notions located in cultural traditions between North and South Korea and the DMZ Burton creates a snaking a wall made from thousands of the tiny bricks often used in his work. The wall weaves between and around an array of kimchi pots, creating a meaningless and fruitless division. In performance Burton destroys the wall allowing the kimchi pots to sit together once more.

The International Artists’ Exchange programme is supported by Korean International Ceramics Biennale, Indian Ceramics Triennale, Charles Wallace Trust (India).