The pottery town’s biennial again spotlights contemporary creativity through ceramics, a chance to discover this modern art plus some of its Russian prodigies.
Since 1966 Vallauris-Golfe-Juan has shared its love of pottery with the public through an international biennial including a competition highlighting the evolution of this art. This year’s jury headed by Villa Arson director Jean-Pierre Simon selected 32 artists from 23 nations to compete in three categories: Containers, Design, and Architectural, Sculptural or Conceptual Ceramics. The winners include Frank Louis, who took the Ville de Vallauris 2014 Grand Prix for Nightmare, and Ariane Prin and Lourdes Riera Rey who won jointly in the Container category.
Russian uniqueness
This 23rd Biennial also comprises five events spread around town. The exhibition at the Maison des Quartiers is devoted to ornaments, which 10 contemporary artists and designers including Chris Antemann and Wim Delvoye decided to reinterpret as a symbol of pottery’s modernity. The Chapelle de la Miséricorde displays Masamichi Yoshikawa’s porcelain pieces, the Musée Magnelli ceramics museum has a solo exhibition by Sergei Isupov, the Espace Grandjean hosts Gustaf Nordenskiöld’s work, and the Salle Jules-Agard is showing young duo Claire Baudrimont and Pierre-Yves Le Sonn. Every Biennial must have its special guest too, so after China, Switzerland, the USA and Japan, it’s now Russia’s turn in the limelight. The eight selected artists’ pieces on display in the Salle Eden illustrate subtle pairings of pottery with other elements: furniture, painting, video, sound, theatre... A multi-faceted experience establishing pottery as a major player in contemporary art.
Jusqu’au 7 novembre Tous les jours sauf le mardi, de 10 h à 12 h 15 et de 14 h à 17 h
Musée Magnelli, musée de la Céramique, place de la Libération - Tél. 04 93 64 71 83
www.vallauris-golfe-juan.fr
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