LONDON.- Jerwood Charitable Foundation today announces the artists selected for the fourth edition of Jerwood Makers Open, chosen from over 240 UK-wide applications. Ceramicists Hitomi Hosono and Matthew Raw, design duo Revital Cohen and Tuur Van Balen, glass artist Shelley James and spatial storytellers FleaFollyArchitects, have each been awarded a commission of £7,500, which will afford them a unique opportunity to freely develop new ideas central to their individual practices.
Jerwood Makers Open is a major initiative in the Jerwood Visual Arts programme and recognises rising stars in the world of applied arts. It offers crucial support in the early stages of their careers, enabling the selected artists to develop their creative ideas independently of specific commissioning structures. The finished commissions will be shown for the first time in an exhibition at Jerwood Space in London, before touring the UK.
Not only does the selection of artists for 2014 include two collaborative duos – the first time in the award’s four year history – but also offers a range of projects rooted within and across different disciplinary backgrounds, from architecture and spatial design to more traditional craft-based skills in ceramics and glass. As a group, these makers push the boundaries of craftsmanship, combining a high level of technical skill with intelligent conceptual thinking.
· Looking to develop her organic porcelain designs, Hitomi Hosono will create a number of delicate sculptures inspired by the vibrancy of the South Pacific and for the first time will experiment with the use of colour in her botanical forms. www.hitomihosono.com
· Royal College of Art graduate Matthew Raw, best known for his ceramic pieces that fuse a relationship between narrative and structure, will create a life-sized ceramic-tiled façade of a British pub inspired by historic turn-of-the-century designs and contemporary issues of gentrification. www.mraw.co.uk
· London-based design duo Revital Cohen and Tuur Van Balen will explore production processes within making and design, drawing inspiration from classic signage to create a series of hand-crafted electronic displays based on computer-translated renditions of text taken from email conversations. www.cohenvanbalen.com
· Shelley James, whose practice investigates new techniques and the creative possibilities of glass, will develop a new series of glass works rooted in new scientific explorations of perception and the way we view space. www.shelleyjames.co.uk
· Energetic architecture practice FleaFollyArchitects, co-founded by Thomas Hillier and Pascal Bronner in 2013, is known for using unorthodox narratives and programmes to create original and often surreal observations. They will create an architectural model which explores the way in which technological advances have shaped the future of cities and citizens. www.fleafollyarchitects.com
The artists were selected by an independent panel comprising foremost figures in the creative world, Vicky Richardson, Director of Architecture, Design and Fashion at the British Council; Junko Mori, artist and silversmith and Claire Catterall, Director of Exhibitions and Learning at Somerset House.
On the submission process and final selection, the panel commented: ‘Selecting this year's Jerwood Makers Open has been an intense experience. With over 240 entries, a record number, we had quite a challenge to pick out five who will each exhibit commissioned work. The artists we selected create a sense of mystery and wonder through the transformation of ordinary materials, whether clay, glass, timber or light. They are amazingly diverse in their approaches, but have in common a dedication to their practice that is inspiring.’
Shonagh Manson, Director of the Jerwood Charitable Foundation also commented: ‘Following the hugely successful commissions of 2013, this year’s selection once more promises an exhibition which moves between a number of strong themes. There will be explorations of singular, hand-crafted works and processes, investigations only made possible through conversation with individuals outside of the arts, and a series of works which play in the intersections of design and craft practice. Each maker has spoken passionately about the new leap they wish to make, and that is exactly what we hope these commissions will allow.’
The exhibition of new works will open as part of the Jerwood Visual Arts programme at Jerwood Space, London, from 9 July to 31 August 2014, before touring the UK.
