Ground Works
Monday 12 May – Sunday 29 June 2025
Born from GLOST glaze’s material research interviews and founder Elena Gileva’s decades-long investigation into ceramic materials, GROUND WORKS examines the fundamental relationship between raw materials and ceramic creation, offering visitors insight into the processes that shape contemporary sustainable practices. Glost glaze presents the journey from mineral to form, highlighting the crucial dialogue between scientific understanding and artistic expression through this exhibition.
Through a curated collection of melt tests, geological specimens, and infographics, visitors gain insight into the chemistry and methodology behind glaze making and material experimentation. The exhibition emphasizes process and research, showcasing how contemporary makers approach material testing and development in their practice.
Equal importance is placed on process and outcome. Through prototypes, test pieces, and works-in-progress, visitors gain understanding of the methodical journey of material investigation. The displayed work represents the rigorous process of research, testing, and refinement, offering transparency into ceramic development.
Featured works explore various approaches to material use, from systematic glaze testing to experimental material combinations. Some makers investigate the potential of local clay bodies and ash glazes, while others experiment with unconventional materials and processes. This diversity of approach demonstrates the breadth of possibility within ceramic material research.
Ground Works serves as both documentation of current ceramic innovation and an exploration of material possibilities. By examining the intersection of scientific inquiry, artistic practice, and material research, the exhibition reveals how contemporary ceramicists are developing new understanding of materials while considering their environmental impact.
Exhibition Events
Launch Party
Wednesday 14 May
6pm – 9pm
All are welcome to join us for the Ground Works launch party. Grab a drink and experience the artwork. Book here.
Dining with the artists
Thursday 15 May
6 – 10pm
Meet the artists and have full course meal in County Hall restaurants. Book here.
Masterclass: Golden Earth Studio Workshop – Art for the Anthropocene
Saturday 17 May
1pm – 5pm
Join us for a practical workshop exploring the properties of London construction clay and its potential applications in a ceramic practice. Book here.
Ceramic Glaze Masterclass: Exploring the Art of Reduction Glazes
21, 22 & 28 June
11am – 5pm
Join us for an engaging hands-on workshop where you’ll dive deep into the fascinating world of reduction glazes. Book here.
Artists
Phil Root
Hyeonyoung Kim
Rosanna Martin
Rosanna Martin is an artist, educator and PhD student at Falmouth University, Cornwall, UK. Recent exhibitions have included works shown at Ruup and Form, The Stephen Lawrence Galley and Kestle Barton. Martin co-founded Brickfield, an experimental participatory brickworks set within the china clay landscape of Cornwall leading to collaborations with the Victoria and Albert Museum, University of East London and the Sensory Trust.
Julia Ellen Lancaster
Steven Sales
https://stevensales.co.uk
Steven Sales is an artist and educator from the Isle of Wight, currently based in Bristol. He is co-founder of the studio initiative Clay Shed. His work has been showcased in exhibitions across the UK and Europe, including the British Ceramics Biennial and Steinbeisser.
Sara Howard
https://sarahowardstudio.com
Sara Howard is an award-winning London designer, building new systems in pursuit of circularity and regeneration in the ceramic industry and beyond. Sara graduated from Central St. Martins in 2020 and has since collaborated with Kevala Ceramics to produce a tableware collection made from 70%-100% waste which has been recognised by Dezeen and Isola Design Awards.
Natalia Kasprzycka
https://nataliakasprzycka.com
Natalia J Kasprzycka (b. 1995, Warsaw) is a multidisciplinary artist exploring the themes of circulation and transformation of matter. Investigating the idea of ‘place’, she works on location-specific, cognitive projects aiming to bridge a scientific approach and artistic sensitivity. Her process and material-focused displays are designed to question the approach to natural resources in an out-come-oriented, anthropocentric reality. Rather than a maker, she sees herself as a storyteller and facilitator of interactions between an audience and the non-man-made.
Alternative Ceramics Supply
https://www.instagram.com/alternativeceramicssupply/
ACS is an Australian based artist collective focused on second-life materials with Georgia Stevenson, Claire Ellis, Sarah Muir-Smith and Amelia Black.
Agne Kucerenkaite
https://ignorance-bliss.com
Agne Kucerenkaite is a Lithuanian designer based in the Netherlands. A Design Academy Eindhoven graduate, she focuses on sustainable material innovation. Her project Ignorance is Bliss has earned international recognition, including the prestigious Red Dot: Best of the Best award. She has exhibited worldwide, exploring the potential of waste in design.
Glost Glaze
GLOST is an artisanal brand born from material obsession and chemical investigation. The name is derived from the transformative qualities of a ‘glost firing’ whereby innocuous materials are assimilated and tested under the process of extreme heat and pressure to produce unique, inspiring and often otherworldly results.