Claire Curneen

e: claire@clairecurneen.com
t: 02920 482259
w: www.clairecurneen.com

Specialist Subject Areas

Ceramics

Qualifications

Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork, Ireland, Diploma in Art and Design
University of Ulster, Belfast, Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Arts
University of Wales Institute Cardiff, Masters Degree in Ceramics

Principal Publications and/or Exhibitions

Click here to view Claire’s papers and publications on Cardiff Metropolitan University’s DSpace repository.

2011

May – June Lost Certainty Claire Curneen and Alice Kettle, Contemporary Applied Arts, London

Jan-Feb Solo Exhibition at Beaux Arts Bath, England. The work presented are recent developments of the figure in porcelain, with references to Christian Iconography

Aug-Sept Claire Curneen and Olivia Chargue, Le Don Du Fel, France. The work presented explored the idea of ‘presence’ and ‘stillness’ in the figure.

2010

July-Nov ‘Pairings’ Exploring Collaborative Creative Practice. The pairings project based at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) where collaborative creative practice was explored through the pairing up of two or three practitioners from different disciplines and institutions with an aim of producing work for a joint exhibition featuring possibly outcomes and a documentation of the journey of collaboration. I worked with Textile designer Alison Welsh exploring Bother mulit-needle machine and hand stitched techniques, we employed these techniques as a drawing tool to creative a narrative figurative picture on cloth. Book accompanying the exhibition ‘Pairings, monologues & dialogues’ ISBN 978-1-905476-53-4

1 October 2010 – 13 March 2011 Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, USA. Contemporary British Studio Ceramics: The Grainer Collection.
Focused on the collection of Diane and Marc Grainer, this exhibition is the first comprehensive survey of Contemporary British Studio Ceramics in the US. Comprised of functional and sculptural objects made between the 1980s and now, Contemporary British Studio Ceramics includes work by established “contemporary classics” such as Lucie Rie, as well as cutting edge artists such as Julian Stair, Kate Malone, and Grayson Perry… includes the figurative and narrative compositions of Christie Brown, Claire Curneen and Phil Eglin. A book with the same title was published on the occasion of the exhibition (ISBN978-0-300-16719-1)

March-May ‘Passage’, solo exhibition at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff, Wales. ‘Passage’ explores the journeys people make through space and time The figurative pieces often refer to images of Christian Iconography, quoting narratives of sacrifice and devotion.

Figures encompass elements of human experiences: love, loss, suffering and compassion. But the work always embody hope. Figures bleed gold, trees sprout gold buds and heads are overcome by flowers (catalogue, with essay by Dr. N.Mayo)

6-9 May COLLECT 2010, Represented by Ruthin Crafts Centre Relaunched at the Saatchi Gallery in May 2009, COLLECT has an enviable reputation as a premier, annual fair for contemporary craft. Through its presentation of work from the best international applied artists

Jan – March 2010 Entitled ‘Gathered World’, the exhibition explores the relationship between everyday domestic objects and artworks they have inspired. Sixteen different artists feature in the exhibition using a wide variety of media including drawing, sculpture, photography and ceramics. The piece exhibited in the exhibition was purchased for the Aberystwyth Ceramics public collection.(catalogue accompanying exhibition)

March- May 2010 ‘Of This Century’ Residents, Fellows and Select Guest Artist of the Clay Studio, 2000-2010. The Clay Studio, Philadelphia. Guest Artist, 2000

2009

Nov -09 -Jan 2010 ‘Otherworldly Messages’ Gallerie Marianne Heller, Heidelburg, Germany. Recent work presented, the gallery has a particular interest in British Studio Ceramics

May COLLECT 2009, Represented by Contemporary Applied Arts London

Relaunched at the Saatchi Gallery in May 2009, COLLECT has an enviable reputation as a premier, annual fair for contemporary craft. Through its presentation of work from the best international applied artists

‘British Ceramics.’ Bavarian Crafts Council, Munich Germany. Invited group exhibition presenting British ceramic artists/makers to the German audience

2008

Oct- Dec ‘ Claire Curneen’ (solo, catalogue, ISBN 987-1-905865-08-6) Ruthin Craft Centre, Ruthin, Wales. ”They offer us temporary respite from the preoccupations of everyday life, an opportunity forr reflection and a chance to appreciate and enjoy the latest fruits of one of the most powerful and expressive ceramics sculptors working in Europe today” Fennah Podschies 2008

15th Mar – 19th April ‘Myths and Legends’ Contemporary Applied Arts, London Group exhibition exploring the cultural universality of mythology and storytelling provides the inspiration for this third exhibition in the 60th anniversary year of Contemporary Applied Arts. ”The rich vein of religious stories in Claire Curneen‘s Catholic background provide her with a wealth of inspiration around the themes of martyrdom and solace to create ceramic figures that are both vulnerable yet filled with spiritual strength”

May COLLECT 2008 at the V&A London, represented by Ruthin Crafts Centre, Wales. COLLECT has an enviable reputation as a premier, annual fair for contemporary craft. Through its presentation of work from the best international applied artists.

2008 Taiwan International Ceramics Biennale, ‘Boundless’, short-listed artist. Exhibited piece accepted in to the permanent public collection of Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum. (catalague)

Awards

1995 Crafts Council Setting up grant

1999 Ceramics Monthly Magazine, Winner of the Sculpture category

2001 Selected for the 52nd International Competition for Contemporary Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy

2001 Le Prix de I’AMN, Porcelain Triennale, Nyon

2001 National Eisteddfod of Wales, Gold Medal in Craft & Design

2003 Shortlist for the Arts Foundation Award for Ceramics, U.K

2004 Selected for 1st European Ceramics Competition, Greece

2005 Selected for 3rd World Ceramic Biennale, Korea International Competition

2005 Creative Wales Award, Arts Council of Wales

2008 Taiwan International Ceramics Biennale Competition, Taipei Ceramic Museum