The sheer variety of approaches, materials, and techniques in contemporary ceramics can make the medium feel hard to navigate. This two-part lecture series at Te Uru offers a practical way in.

Lecture 1: The Framework — A guide to reading what is actually happening inside a ceramic work. Moving beyond traditional art history timelines, this session introduces a method for identifying where the tension lies in a piece and what the work is choosing to resist.

Lecture 2: The Application — Putting the framework into practice. We’ll examine concrete examples drawn from influential contemporary practices (such as Simone Leigh, Ai Weiwei, Wi Taepa, Toby Twiss, and Andrea du Chatenier) and key works from the Portage Ceramic Awards exhibition currently on view at Te Uru.

Richard Penn is an Auckland-based multidisciplinary artist and educator whose work spans ceramics, sculpture, painting, and drawing. He won the Premier Award at the Portage Ceramic Awards 2022, held at Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery for his 'Artefacts: Derelict' series. Penn has undertaken artist residencies at Driving Creek Potteries and Auckland Studio Potters, where he also serves as Residency Coordinator. With extensive tertiary teaching experience including roles at the Elam School of Fine Arts (University of Auckland) and Otago Polytechnic, Penn brings a deep, practical, and theoretical understanding of contemporary ceramics, material translation, and artistic process.

Information about the image:

Title: Monument 2022

Artist: Clare Twomey

Exhibition: The Flames: The The Age of Ceramics, 2022

Venue: Musee D'Art Moderne De Paris

Photo by Dan Prince