Aberystwyth University Ceramics Collection facts for kids
| Casgliad ac Archif Cerameg | |
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Front entrance, Ceramic Gallery, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
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| Established | 1920s (Collection) 1980s (Archive) |
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| Location | Aberystwyth, Wales |
| Visitors | Free entry |
| Nearest car park | Available nearby |
The Aberystwyth University Ceramic Collection & Archive is a special place in Aberystwyth, Wales. It holds one of the biggest collections of "studio ceramics" in Britain. These are unique pottery pieces made by artists, not in factories. It is especially famous for pottery made between 1920 and 1940.
You can see these amazing ceramics in the Ceramic Gallery at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre. They have both permanent displays and changing exhibitions. The archive, which stores important documents, is at the School of Art, part of Aberystwyth University. The university also publishes a magazine called Ceramic Bulletin every two years. It shares news about new art pieces, research, and special events.
Contents
Exploring the Ceramic Collection
The main collection of ceramics started between 1920 and 1936. Since 1974, the collection has actively bought new pieces. Today, it has a large number of modern ceramics. The collection also includes beautiful "slipware" from the 1800s. Slipware is pottery decorated with liquid clay.
You can also find examples of Welsh porcelain from places like Nantgarw and Swansea. Porcelain is a type of fine ceramic. In 1986, a special gallery was built on the ground floor of Aberystwyth Arts Centre. This gallery was made just for displaying the ceramics.
What You Can See
The main parts of the collection are always on display in the back gallery. The front gallery is used for changing displays and special exhibitions. These exhibitions might feature pieces from their own collection or traveling shows from other places.
Organizations like the Arts Council of Wales and the Art Fund have helped support the collection. They provide money to buy new artworks. The collection also works with Aberystwyth Arts Centre to offer regular programs for schools and families.
Understanding the Ceramic Archive
The Ceramic Archive started in the late 1980s. It was created because the Craft Potters Association (CPA) needed a new home for its important documents. The CPA is a group for potters. Their archive began in the early 1970s.
The goal of the archive was to collect papers that showed how the Craft Potters Association started and grew. By 1988, the CPA archive had many materials. It needed a bigger, more permanent place. So, the Aberystwyth University Ceramic Archive took it in. This archive is based at the School of Art in Aberystwyth.
What's Inside the Archive
Most of the main paper documents from the Ceramic Archive were moved to the National Library of Wales in 1997. However, any information about the artists whose work is in the Ceramic Collection stayed at Aberystwyth University.
The archive holds many interesting items:
- Files with information about all the artists in the collection.
- Old magazines and books about British ceramics.
- Catalogues from art auctions.
- Reference books about ceramics from all over the world.
- Many foreign magazines about ceramics.
- Catalogues from British ceramic exhibitions.
- Audio and video materials about ceramics and studio pottery.
- Almost 100 articles about ceramics, ordered by Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
- Documents and photos from the International Ceramics Festival.
- Papers related to the Craft Potters Association.
- Documents about the traveling exhibitions of the collection.
- Information about ceramics courses, including those at Aberystwyth University.
- Administrative documents about the collection and archive.
