Research at Gray's School of Art

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contact details
email: s.ward@rgu.ac.uk
tel: 00 44 (0)1224 263691

SIMON WARD

Biographical Statement
Simon Ward studied Ceramics at South Glamorgan Institute Cardiff Wales and received an MDes Ceramics and Glass from the Royal College of Art, London.

Simon won the Royal Society of Arts 1st Prize for ceramic design and as a result worked as a freelance designer for Royal Doultons in Stoke on Trent. Simon was invited to work on the prestigious International residency programme at the Shigaraki Ceramics Centre in Japan. He received a Daiwa Foundation award. This research resulted in a solo exhibition in Nagoya, Japan.

In 2001 he received Inches Carr and Tyrebagger Trust awards to assist in developing new work for the Tyrebagger Sculpture trail in Aberdeen entitled “Ghost”. In 2003 he received a Special Judges Award and 2005 a Bronze Award in the World Ceramics Korean Biennale. Two exhibitions in Japan 2005 (Tokyo and Kyoto) were an opportunity to explain the results of an invited residency at the Fukui Ceramics Centre, Japan.

Most recent research investigations resulted in joint solo exhibitions at the Daiwa Foundation in London, "Cross Currents" (2006) with internationally renowned glass artist Keiko Mukaide. Selected works were then exhibited in Glasgow at the SECC Crafts in Scotland 2006.

"Germination " exhibited at 'Clay in Bloom' 2003 and 'Cross Currents' Daiwa Foundation, London 2006.

Purchased by the McManus Galleries, Museums of Scotland, 2006.

Personal Statement
Over the past five years my work has been primarily concerned with challenging the roles and context of porcelain in both the interior and exterior environments. This has occurred through cross-cultural exchange via residency programmes in Japan and Europe resulting in exhibitions in galleries, museums, restaurants and permanent site-specific large scale sculpture. As a result of these exchanges location and certain aspects of traditional indigenous craft making has informed the research investigation through material collaboration. Forming connections and relationships between porcelain and wood, metal, concrete and other found materials has resulted in work which challenges the role of this material and its potential current / future contexts.

One of the main themes involves researching how ordinary functional objects have been given a new role and context. Exploring and making connections to the traditional rituals of dining and the contrasting contemporary elevation of tools/utensils and the evolution of their new roles.

Current conclusions involve the forming of collections that question, explore and challenge function.

In summary the work is concerned with questioning the language of craft through indigenous cross-cultural craft methods, revealing how function has been elevated into a new role and context in both interior and exterior environments.

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