Collect has been exhibiting the signature crafts of pioneering new artists for 20 years. For this latest edition, the works will span 40 international galleries, illuminating the prowess of 400 extraordinary artists. Ahead of the much anticipated showcase come the start of March, we share our top picks from among the emerging talent.
A London-based ceramicist ‘inspired by the ethos of beauty and nature’, Freya reflects her own effortless authenticity in her handcrafted work. Learning the ropes from her father’s métier as a sculptor, the artist joined the family business in West Hampstead after studying at Chelsea College of Arts. Specialising in artisan glazes, she considers the medium of clay to be a teacher in many ways, and feels herself physically connecting with nature each time a vision is realised.
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In his practice, Nigerian maker Samuel traverses the shapeshifting qualities of Ankara, the West African wax-textured fabric. The multi-award-winning artist’s work centres around fashioning the material into spirited sculptures. He began his creative ascent, he recalls, by sketching portraits of the customers who would visit the shoe shop owned by his father; his love of vibrancy, in turn, came from his early experiments with colourful snippets from his mother’s atelier.
Hailing from Chicago, Colombian-born Juan specialises in depicting his fantasies and vivid memories through the medium of textile art. Initially growing up in a traditional Catholic environment, when the artist moved with his family to North America it shook up his sense of identity, place and belonging – ideas which are often explored in his practice. Since graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he’s developed an interdisciplinary knack for interweaving textile-making, painting and drawing, to dream-like effect.
Exploiting the fluid properties of wood falls well within the remit of French visual artist Anton. Inspired by Van Gogh, Botticelli and Henri Rousseau, he carefully colours sheets of the material and tessellates them together to create scenes of awe-inspiring landscapes. Exploring complex relationships between man-made substances, natural environments and human beings, Anton strays from traditional rules and academism – clearing a path for endless creativity.
As an artist, Bisila seeks harmony in human differences and is motivated by her aim to challenge Western views on what art and craft can be. She is well known for her two-legged vessels, which explore what happens when separate entities join together and create something entirely new. Using a combination of throwing, coiling and carving, her pottery works symbiotically with her writing towards a key preoccupation: expressing a sense of oneness in juxtaposition with the division that capitalism can conjure.
In partnership with the Loewe Foundation, Collect runs from 1–3 March 2024 at Somerset House, London. For more information, visit craftscouncil.org.uk
