James Tower (1919-88) is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive figures in post-war British ceramics. Since his death over 20 years ago, his work has been often cited for its dramatic visual qualities, its subtle exploration of the boundaries of art and craft, and its lyrical integration of references to nature and the cosmos into an essentially abstract language of form and surface decoration. This is the first single publication to be devoted to his work and will reveal to a new audience the extraordinary range and quality of his achievement. Tower's career was unusual in inhabiting the worlds of fine art and ceramics which, in the 1950s and 1960s, still had only a low level of inter-penetration. Teaching at Corsham brought him into contact with some of the pioneering painters of post-war abstraction, including William Scott, Peter Lanyon and Howard Hodgkin, and as a potter Tower showed his work alongside Bernard Leach and Lucie Rie, contributing to a re-definition of modern craft. During the 1960s and 1970s he worked in white terra cotta and bronze, representing a diversity of sculptural practice during a period in which sculptors such as Anthony Caro and Phillip King were experimenting with new materials. From the late 1970s until his death, Tower concentrated again on glazed ceramic forms and was a highly original contributor to the 'New Ceramics'. This book provides a comprehensive visual document of Tower's work, incorporating a complete illustrated catalogue. It includes a detailed and authoritative biography, setting Tower in the social and artistic context in which he lived and worked.

*Monograph on the influential ceramicist James Tower*This centenary volume represents Tower's complete artistic output*Accompanies an exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, UK, 21 September - 24 November 2019James Tower (1919-1988) is best known for his elegant forms in glazed earthenware. During a career spanning four decades, from the 1950s to the 1980s, he worked unceasingly in a wide variety of media to achieve an elusive harmony of shape and surface, form and decoration, inert material and active design. His personal understanding of the purpose and meaning of abstraction embodies a perpetual dialogue between the visible world and the unseen dynamics which shape it. This centenary volume of essays considers Tower's entire output from a wide variety of perspectives, embracing paintings and drawings, as well as sculpture in bronze, terracotta and fiberglass. The contributions of leading critics and historians approach his work, situated at the junction of art, craft and design, in a broad historical and cultural context, illuminating key episodes in postwar British art, and Tower's unique place within it.This book accompanies an exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, UK, 21 September - 24 November 2019

A comprehensive and lavishly illustrated monograph of one of the most important American ceramic artists

New Wave Clay unpicks the zeitgeist and aesthetic of an exciting discipline with intelligence, insight and indulgence. Against the backdrop of the digital age and shiny screens, a whole new generation of craftspeople, designers and artists are realizing the pleasure of working with clay and bringing a fresh perspective to the material. Today, there is a lively crossover between craft, design, sculpture and technology that is rethinking ceramics: what you can make with it, what it looks like and who makes it. New Wave Clay is a global survey of 55 imaginative ceramicists that are leading this craft revival. They include classically trained potters who create design-led pieces, product designers who use clay as a means of creative expression, as well as fine artists, architects, decorators, illustrators, sculptors and graphic designers. Their collective output goes far beyond pots into ceramic furniture, sculpture, murals, wall reliefs, small-scale architecture and 3D printing. The book is divided into four thematic sections and features special contributions from Edmund de Waal, Hella Jongerius, Grayson Perry, Martin Brudnizki and Sarah Griffin discussing craft, industry, ornament, decorating and collecting. New Wave Clay is an image-led, dynamic study of the exciting new generation jumpstarting this age-old art. Features - A 296-page survey of 55 international ceramicists who bridge the worlds of product design, interiors, fine art and luxury craftsmanship. - Four thematic chapters are accompanied by interviews and written contributions on the subject from designers, decorators and collectors. - Richly illustrated, New Wave Clay is an image-led, dynamic book that aims to demonstrate the contemporary condition of this age-old art. - Instead of focusing on traditional craft ware and functional pieces, this title focuses on the community of ceramicists who create design-led works.

"This book looks at the use of ceramics as a tool for confrontation, where artists use this ancient and most plastic of media to make provocative commentaries about the inequities of the human condition. It is a massive overview of the ceramic scene from this perspective, showcasing representative artist' work juxtaposed against their statements, to provide the contexts for the issues against which they rail."--[book cover].