The earth’s challenges are our challenges. European Ceramic Context 2024 is devoted to sustainable practices in contemporary ceramics.
Humanity's pervasive intervention in the planet's ecosystem is now all too evident in the global environment. There is an urgent need for change in our way of looking at the world, where an overuse of the planet's resources has led to irreparable biodiversity loss, imbalance, and a severe climate crisis.
Everyone is accountable for the problems. Within our field, we must be part of the solution and create a future of sustainable ceramic practices and circular thinking. In this framework, the ECC2024 OPEN CALL invites makers, artists, crafts practitioners, ceramicists, etc., to apply with artworks, craft masterpieces, works, installations, functional ware, etc., where sustainable practices are essential. Works can be unique or part of a serial production. Works can be made using any technique and form of artistic expression. Materials used, must be predominantly ceramics. Works must be contemporary and completed in 2020 or later; works produced before this time will not be accepted.
In two large exhibitions, we aim to show new and significant works, projects and installations that provide an overview of the experimental, innovative, sustainable trends in contemporary European ceramics.
Participating artists:
Austria: Sandra Franzi Holzer, Christa Zeitlhofer, Belgium: Wenselaers Els Bulgaria: Jenya Adamova, Croatia: Sandra Ban, Cyprus: Elysia Athanatos, Czech Republic: Michaela Spružinová, Vendulka Prchalová, Denmark: Christina Schou Christensen, Inkyong Lee, Lea Mi Engholm, Lisbet Thorborg Andersen, Metha Stuart Wallace & Jamie Wallace, Vinni Frederiksen, Estonia: AnneTürn, Pille Kaleviste, Finland: Anna-KaisaHaanaho, Jari Vesterinen, France: Benoît Pouplard, Katia Terpigoreva, Simon Manoha, Germany: Dennis Demand, Arina Antonova, Christiane von der Laake & DorotheeWenz, Greece: Chryssa Kotoula, Myrto Zirini, Hungary: Maria Geszler Garzuly, Viktória Maróti, Iceland: Alice Sowa, Ireland: Cathy Burke, Mandy Parslow, Italy: Carla Antonella Fiumara, Davide Ronco, Paola Orlandi, Latvia: Linda Luse, Lithuania: Giedra Petkevičiūtė, Netherlands: Tim Breukers, Hannah Rose Whittle, Norway: Joe Welch, Linda Jansson Lothe, Poland: Alek Glich, Alicja Patanowska, Maria Bak, Hanna Miadzvedzeva, Portugal: Lia Raquel Marques, Sofia Beça, Romania: Anca Dragu, Viorica Bocioc, Slovakia: Kristina Ligačová, Linda Viková & Simona Janišová, Slovenia: Radovan Gregorčič, Veronika Lah, Nika Šantej, Spain: Anca Ion, Eduardo Palomares, Sweden: The Tontouristen Kollektiv, Jingbei Zheng, Pernilla Norrman, Switzerland: Nicole Lehner, Valena Ammon, United Kingdom: Alice Foxen, Mella Shaw, Michelle Shields, Neil Brownsword, Jessica Steel
SELECTION COMITTEE:
Dr. Lisa Hockemeyer, Politecnico di Milano, Italy and Kingston University, London, England, Nadja Zgonik, PhD, Assoc. Prof., Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Univerzity of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Sarah Rothwell, Senior Curator, National Museums Scotland, UK, Marthe Yung Mee Hansen, Museologist and Project Manager at Norwegian Crafts, Norway, Susanne Jøker Johnsen, Head of Exhibitions, The Royal Danish Academy, Architecture, Design, Conservation, Denmark
The sustainable focus on European Ceramic Context 2024 emanates from the Royal Danish Academy’s ongoing commitment to the UN Sustainability Goals and commitment to creating knowledge and solutions for a more sustainable society.
Additionally, the Regional Municipality of Bornholm strategically aims to be a sustainable, climate-friendly island community by 2035.
ECC2024 shares these goals and believes that many European makers, ceramicists, and artists already relate to sustainable themes and practices. Through comprehensive exhibitions, workshops, talks and an artist-in-residence program, we wish to provide a platform to share knowledge and present and discuss sustainable tendencies and circular trends in contemporary European ceramics.
Since the 18th century, the island of Bornholm in Denmark has been a centre of industrial ceramic production due to its rich natural resources, large clay deposits and granite. Even after the natural resources have been exhausted, the legacy of generations of making has a palpable resonance on the island. Bornholm has been left with physical scars; the actions of heavy industry have shaped the landscape. The open-air clay pits and quarries, once symbols of industrialization’s occupation of the land, have now been covered by the passage of time and returned to nature as beautiful lakes. These post-industrial and heritage sites are now part of the recognizable cultural identity of Bornholm.
Though this scale of ceramic production might seem small, it is part of the industrialization that has accelerated climate change and the challenges the earth is now experiencing in the current time of the Anthropocene.
Bornholm Art Museum is a key partner in European Ceramic Context 2024 and usually hosts one of the extensive exhibitions. The museum is undergoing a major expansion and thus closed for the next three years. Hjorths Fabrik and Bornholm Art Museum have united to display one of the main ECC2024 exhibitions at Hjorths Fabrik in Rønne.
Hjorths Fabrik is a living museum and one of Scandinavia's most well-preserved industrial monuments in ceramics.
It was established in 1862 as the most significant production unit on Bornholm and the most important in Denmark - a cradle for Danish ceramics. In 1993, Bornholm Museum took over the factory, and today, it is a living museum with contemporary exhibitions, an extensive historical collection of ceramics and a functioning production unit in historic surroundings.
Grønbechs Gård a popular exhibition space and the Regional Center for Crafts on Bornholm. The old merchant buildings were built in 1875 as warehouses for the Grønbech Merchant Company.
In 1999, Hasle Municipality appropriated the buildings provide a unified exhibition platform for crafts on Bornholm. Grønbechs Gård was then carefully renovated and stands beautiful and well maintained today with its 1500 square meters spread across three floors.
The prize jury: Martin Bodilsen Kaldahl, Juliet Kinchin, Karen Harsbo, Lars Kærulf Møller. Grand prize winning artwork by Erna Elínbjörg Skúladóttir
A jury of three international members with expertise in ceramics will go through the exhibitions before the opening and select the prize winners. The winners will be announced at the exhibition opening.
PREVIOUS WINNERS:
EGC2021: Yorgos Papadopoulos, CY - Jeff Zimmer, UK
ECC2018: Erna Elínbjörg Skúlardottir, IS - Sam Bakewell, UK
EGC2016: Karin Forslund, SE - Thomas Kuhn, DE
ECC2014: James Rigler, UK - Anne Wenzel, NL
EGC2012: Marcus Kayser, UK - Oliver Lesso, SL
ECC2010: Rafael Pérez, ES - Christin Johansson, SE
EGC2008: Angela Jarman, UK - Pernille Braun Jørgensen, DK -
ECC2006: Theodora Chorafas, GR - Mattia Vernocchi, IT - Piet Stockmans, BG
