Chris Wight

View Chris Wight’s works featured on Ceramics Now Magazine

“When working with bone china for the first time I was struck by its pure whiteness, ability to take on fine detail and its astonishing translucence. This light responsive property, that enables bone china to switch between translucent and opaque states – gradually or instantaneously – as light changes around it, continues to be a major source of fascination.

Providing a subconscious inspiration for many pieces is my interest in the patterns, textures, shapes and forms found in nature – often and in particular, the ‘tiny worlds’ seen under a microscope or through a macro lens. In addition to these themes, I continue to develop a small strand of works that focus on ‘iconic’ objects from my own childhood.

Bone china has many testing characteristics for a maker – an in-flexible ‘body’ prone to crumbling when worked, an inability to be wheel-thrown and a propensity to collapse or bend when firing. Add to these a very keen ‘clay memory’, a trait that causes repaired splits and stresses to reappear again once fired and you inevitably face high loss rates in production. For this reason most ceramicists avoid using bone china. However, through time I have come to understand the nature of the clay and I now relish the constant challenges it presents. Still, a tension exists between the clay’s constraints and my intent as an artist to counter or exploit them in order to reveal its inherent beauty and demonstrate its perhaps unexpected versatility.

To capitalize on the allure of bone china I adopt ‘high-risk’ techniques – often unconventional, certainly against traditional good practice – which push the clay to its very limits. Intuition allied with experience is relied on to make a successful piece. New technologies like water-jet cutting brought together with long-established ceramic processes make possible the creation of works significantly greater in height and volume whilst crucially keeping the ceramic thin enough to retain delicacy and translucence. I routinely combine traditional and modern approaches whilst attempting to push back the boundaries and to redefine the perception of bone china as something more than simply the sole preserve of fine tableware.” Chris Wight

Chris Wight’s C.V. (resume) – View his works

EXHIBITIONS, AWARDS AND ARTICLES
2011
Exhibition – ‘Collect’, The Scottish Gallery at Saatchi Gallery, London
2010
Publication – ‘Contemporary Artists’ – Artbox International Inc. Japan.
2009
Solo Exhibition – ‘Chris Wight ????????’ – Yufuku Gallery, Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan.
Publication – ‘Wall Pieces’ by Dominique Bivar-Segurado – A&C Black Publishing.
2008
Award – Honorable Mention (Ceramic Arts) – The 8th International Ceramics Competition MINO, Japan
Album Cover – ‘Imai: August’, Japan. Artwork provided for album cover.
Architectural Commission – New Minster School Southwell, England. Two large chapel doors.
Article – ‘Honoho Geijutsu’ – Issue No.94 – Leading Japanese Ceramics Magazine.
Publication – ‘Lithophanes’ by Margaret Carney – Schiffer Publishing.
2007
Group Exhibition – Ozone Design Centre Exhibition (March 15th-20th 2007) – Shinjuku Park Tower, Tokyo, Japan. Ozone Design Centre – Tokyo, Japan.
Award – Arts Council, England – Grants for the Arts Award, Japan.
Publication – April. ‘Breaking the Mould: New Approaches to Ceramics’ – Black Dog Publishing.
Publication – August. ‘Slip-casting’ by Sasha Wardell – A & C Black Publishing.
2006
Album Cover – ‘Imai: Time’, Japan. Artwork provided for album cover.
Award – Wesley-Barrel Craft Awards in association with the Crafts Council. Runner up.
Group Exhibition – ‘Wesley-Barrell Craft Awards Showcase at Origin’ – Origin, Somerset House, London.
Article – Ceramic Review – Front cover – Profile of maker. Chris Wight – Seeing the Light – Summer 2006 Issue 220 (PDF).
Solo Exhibition – House of Tomorrow Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. Chris Wight – Private Viewing Invitation (PDF).
Group Exhibition – The British Embassy, Tokyo, Japan.
Advertisement – Arts Council, England – Photograph of ‘Honeycomb Vessel Form’ used as lead image to promote ‘Own Art’ scheme in ‘Collect’ 2006 exhibition catalogue at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Award – Grants for the Arts Award – Arts Council, England.
2005
Award – Japan Bursary, Arts Council, England. Research Trip to Japan 2006.
Group Exhibition – Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Crafts Council Showcase.
2003
Award – Crafts Council. Awarded ‘Crafts Council – Selected Maker’ status.
Solo Exhibition – Canary Wharf Gallery, London.
2001
Permanent Exhibition – The Concorde Room, Heathrow Airport Terminal One, London. British Airways First Class Departure Lounge created by Sir Terence Conran. Display of “some of the best names in 20th Century sculpture, glassware, and ceramics”.
Group Exhibition – Sotheby’s. ‘Contemporary Decorative Arts Selling Exhibition’, London.
Permanent Exhibition – Rufford Ceramic Centre, Nottinghamshire.
2000
Solo Exhibition – CPMG – Architects, Nottingham.
Grant – East Midlands Arts ‘Project Grant’.
Exhibition – Rufford Ceramic Centre, Nottinghamshire.
1999
Grant – East Midlands Arts ‘Project Grant’.
Exhibition – Rufford Ceramic Centre, Nottinghamshire.
Solo Exhibition – East Midlands Arts Headquarters, Loughborough.
1998
Grant – East Midlands Arts ‘Start-up Grant’.