Richard Slee

Richard Slee finds inspiration in the diversity of ornamental ceramic traditions, from 18th century Sèvres porcelain and 19th century curios to more recent pottery knick-knacks. Other aesthetic influences that he cites include early Disney animations and the ‘Krazy Kat’ cartoon strips of George Herriman - stylistic echoes of these are to be found in the softly rounded forms of so many of his pieces.

The works are frequently wry comments on social issues, either political or more broadly cultural. Dr Oliver Watson, Chief Curator of Ceramics and Glass at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London has written “If there is a single quality that draws together Slee‘s diverse body of work, it is the humanity and tenderness with which he treats his subjects. A humanity that is given all the more power by his penetrating, surreal, hyper-real, vision of the ordinary around him”.

Born in 1946, Slee trained at the Central School of Art & Design and the Royal College of Art, London. He has exhibited internationally and his work can be found in numerous public collections. He has worked as a visiting artist in the USA, Canada and Korea and is Professor of Ceramics at the London Institute.

He was the winner of the Jerwood Prize for Applied Arts: Ceramics in 2001.

enamel collection 2007

previous exhibitions

17 March to 22 April 2006

18 June to 31 July 2004

publications

Please click Publications for a list of illustrated exhibition leaflets and other related literature available from Barrett Marsden Gallery

email: info@bmgallery.co.uk

links to collections

Victoria & Albert Museum
National Electronic & Video Archive of the Crafts
Crafts Council Collection, London