Highlights of London Craft Week 2024
Taking place 13-19 May, this event – now in its 10th year – sees the capital get crafty
Prototype of Meld Table Lamp by Emma Louise Payne and Phoebe Stubbs
County Hall Pottery: Beyond the Kiln
Expansive themes such as nature, politics and the built environment are interrogated in this group exhibition which presents work from five contemporary London ceramicists: Alex Simpson, Tana West, Elena Gileva, Connor Coulston and Irina Razumovskaya. This will be the very first show to be held at County Hall Pottery, the capital’s latest cultural destination dedicated to all things clay.
13 – 19 May at County Hall Pottery, County Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 7GP
Emma Louise Payne x Gather Glass
Crackled stoneware meets glossy hand-blown glass in Meld, a new series of lighting pieces and mirrors designed by ceramicist Emma Louise Payne and glassmaker Phoebe Stubbs. You’ll be able to get a first glimpse of the collection at chic interiors store Rialto, where you’ll be able to peruse plenty of other handcrafted items for the home.
13 – 19 May at Rialto, Hackney Downs Studio, Shop 6, 17 Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT
Craftworks
Taking place over the course of three days, this event (conceived by The Repair Shop host and Crafts Autumn/Winter 2022 cover star Jay Blades) sets out to showcase the best of the craft industry. As well as getting to see works from a wealth of different disciplines, visitors will also get to participate in seminars, workshops and panel discussions, including one with Crafts editor Debika Ray.
15 – 17 May at Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT
Secret Ceramics
Over 100 single-stem clay vessels made by leading makers, cultural influencers and talented graduates will be anonymously auctioned off at this exhibition. The auction will fund the opening of a new ceramics studio for disadvantaged young people in London’s White City. Who's behind each design will be revealed after the vessels are sold, but named participants already include Zandra Rhodes, Kate Malone, Luke Fuller, Hitomi Hisono and more.
15 – 19 May at SoShiro, 23 Welbeck Street, W1G 8DZ
Sabi Washi: An Interaction Between Washi and Metal
Tradition is turned on its head in this exhibition at Tom Faulkner Showroom, which will see artist Sakuho Ito present her unique metal-infused version of Japanese washi paper. Left to naturally oxidise, Ito’s paper takes on a rusted, textural appearance which she says ‘displays the undeniable passage of time’.
13 – 18 May at Tom Faulkner Showroom, 28 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8LJ
DesignEast: (Un)common Threads
Textile artists from the Global South come together in this exhibition to explore identity, environment and cultural nuances through the medium of fabric. As well as pieces from places such as Qatar, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia, this leg of the show – which has already hit UAE Art Week and Salone del Mobile this year – will include exclusive new works from makers working out of Morocco and India.
15 – 19 May at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, SE1 9PH
This Country: What is the role of craft in shaping English identity and culture?
Keep space in your diary for this special Crafts event. As part of our upcoming This Country programme, we’re holding a panel discussion between V&A East director Gus Casely-Hayford, artist Corbin Shaw, and designer-researcher Shai Akram. They'll consider the often thorny relationship between craft and heritage in England – and look to conjure new ways to think about it. After the talk we’ll also be raising a glass to the release of our Spring/Summer 2024 issue; don't miss out on the celebrations.
16 May at Crafts Council Gallery, 44A Pentonville Road, N1 9BY
