Book Synopsis
This new title takes on the story of Cardew's working career after his departure from Winchcombe in 1939, including his pivotal time in Africa at Abuja and at Wenford Bridge in Cornwall from 1972. Examples are drawn from the important Bill Ismay collection at York, here illustrated comprehensively for the first time, and from private collections. Lastly, the title benefits from a new study by Liz Moloney, a leading expert on Abuja, and many unpublished archive photos.
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Setting the post-Winchcombe scene
- An overview of the developments in art, pottery and sculpture in the inter-war period and a snapshot of the growing vogue for tin glaze and brushwork decoration in the 1950s, and their indirect influence on the work of Cardew after World War 2.
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Setting the stoneware scene
- Cardew's ethic, technical background and approach to decoration, illustrated by examples and an interview with Alan Caiger-Smith on brushwork and form.
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Post-1939 ceramics
- An illustrated chapter covering Cardew's earliest work at Wenford, his highly regarded stoneware from the Volta Pottery, Vume Dugame as well as his brief return to slipware at Kingwood pottery in Surrey.
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The Abuja Period
- An illustrated chapter providing full coverage of all Cardew's main glaze finishes and forms through photographs of pots from the Ismay and private collections, in many cases unpublished since acquisition. Technical information is also provided on issues such as clays, slips and firing, the chapter enhanced by previously unseen archive photographs of Abuja in the 1950s and 1960s. Information is also included on the influential 1959 Fundamental Pottery course, together with contemporary photos of participants.
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Michael Cardew in Nigeria: Setting up the Abuja pottery training centre
- An article by Liz Moloney on the trials and tribulations experienced by Cardew in the early years.
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Retirement and Wenford Bridge
- An illustrated chapter covering the main glazes and forms Cardew developed after 1965, together with some eyewitness recollections of those days, and of his 1970 visit to Greece.
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In summary
- An analysis of Cardew's post-1939 forms, bodies and glazes, his aesthetics, teaching techniques, priorities and prejuduces, using new interviews with Svend Bayer, Clive Bowen, Mark Hewitt and Mike Dodd.
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In closing |
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Appendices
- A comprehensive listing of Cardew's glaze recipes from Africa and Cornwall, together with a catalogue of his new forms as well as the monograms of Abuja potters and other material.
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This title was launched in conjunction with a June 2008 show at Long Room Gallery, Winchcombe of the same name
