9 craft exhibitions to see in the UK this November
Florian Gadsby: By My Hands
Potter-influencer Florian Gadsby (who features in our new Autumn/Winter 2023 issue) is known for creating beautifully pared-back plates, bowls, mugs and other vessels. More than 250 of these pieces are going on show in his solo exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, giving his followers a chance to see his work IRL, and – as Gadsby hopes – be inspired to try making something with their own hands.
4 November – 25 February 2024 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield
Burma to Myanmar
Despite enduring hundreds of years of political tumult, Myanmar – also known as Burma – has an extraordinary cultural legacy. This is brought to light in The British Museum’s latest exhibition, which explores how the country’s global position has informed the ideas and artistic output of its peoples. Crafts members should keep an eye on our perks page; we’ll soon be sharing how you can claim 2-for-1 tickets to the show.
2 November – 11 February 2024 at The British Museum, London
Antony Gormley: Body Politic
For his latest solo show at London’s White Cube gallery, celebrated sculptor Antony Gormley has created five new collections of work that explore humans’ relationship with the built environment. Meditative in style, the pieces encourage viewers to examine the tension between the need for refuge, and the need for roaming.
Francesca DiMattio pictured in her studio, 2023. Photo by Karen Pearson, courtesy of the artist and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery Detail of Wedgwood Caryatid, 2023, by Francesca DiMattio. Photo by Karen Pearson, courtesy of the artist and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery
Materialise
For the first time, arts organisation Fife Contemporary is holding an in-person exhibition for its annual Materialise programme, which this year asked makers to interrogate and experiment with conscious design practices. Their works – which include everything from futuristic jewellery to yarn wall panels – will be presented throughout the Glisk Gallery.
3 – 12 November at Glisk Gallery, Fife
Boxed In, Fanned Out: Fans and their Boxes
Bringing together examples from different countries and time periods, this exhibition looks at the surprising connections that can exist between historic fans and their containers. Visitors can expect to see everything from opulent lacquer boxes from China, to delicate paper fan tubes handmade in 18th-century Europe.
3 November – 23 March 2024 at The Fan Museum, London
Francesca DiMattio: Wedgwood
Everyday objects are deconstructed in artist Francesca DiMattio’s latest show, which sees her turn cleaning-spray bottles, backpacks and more into stately ceramic sculptures (some inspired by the ornate pottery of Josiah Wedgwood, hence the exhibition’s name). Maximalist wallpapers and pattern-laden vinyl flooring designed by DiMattio herself form a backdrop to the works.
17 November – 23 December at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London
Kim Lim pictured with Chess Piece I, c.1960. © Estate of Kim Lim/Turnbull Studio, all rights reserved, DACS 2023. Photograph courtesy The Estate of Kim Lim
Kim Lim: Space, Rhythm & Light
Oft-overlooked sculptor and printmaker Kim Lim takes the spotlight in this show at The Hepworth Wakefield, the first major exhibition to focus on the artist since 1999. On display will be more than 100 of Lim’s minimalist works, plus a selection of her maquettes, sketchbooks, audio recordings, and photographs from the library of research objects that she kept in her studio.
25 November – 2 June 2024 at The Hepworth Wakefield, Wakefield
Earth to Earth
Nature is Adi Toch’s artistic collaborator in this exhibition at Sarah Myerscough Gallery, for which she has buried metal sculptures and allowed mud, minerals, water and air pockets to work their effects. Left underground for months at a time, the resulting pieces boast a weathered patina suggestive of long-forgotten archeological objects.
23 November - 27 January 2024 at Sarah Myerscough Gallery, London
Alia Farid
For her inaugural UK solo exhibition, Kuwaiti-Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid lays bare lesser-known histories which have been purposefully covered up. She particularly focuses on the migration of Arab and South Asian groups to Latin America and the Caribbean, pulling together a tapestry of materials that chart these movements and the influence they've had on wider culture.
