The Age of the Beaker
After Big in Japan and Traveling with Tea, both presented at Arts & Science in 2019, Steve Harrison turned his attention to the form of the beaker. Over a three-year period beginning with the pandemic, Harrison immersed himself in exploration, delving extensively into the form, function, and cultural meaning of the beaker as an object for everyday use – a project Harrison refers to as the Age of the Beaker. The presentations of the project at Arts & Science will center around two different aspects of the project: the Meal Beaker, a singular form that emerged from the work process and that stands as a concentrated expression of the insights Harrison gained from his deep investigation; and the Evolution Beaker, the name Harrison gives to the various beakers created in the process of arriving at his final expression.
The exhibition The Age of the Beaker was first presented at Blue Mountain School in London in 2022 and serves as a starting point for the presentation of Harrison’s project at Arts & Science in 2023. The project in Japan provides an opportunity to incorporate Harrison’s evolving thoughts and experiences over the past year and to create an enjoyable series of events in Tokyo and Kyoto that will enrich the experience of his works. The artist will be present for the exhibition and events and looks forward to this long-awaited reunion with his customers in Japan.
PROFILE
Steve Harrison is an English potter born in 1967. After obtaining his MA in ceramics at the Royal College of Art, he set up his workshop and his kiln on the outskirts of London, where he now bases his artistic activities. He is known for his mugs and jugs created by the salt glaze technique, which uses common salt for the glaze coating. Arts & Science has presented his work since 2003 through numerous exhibitions, including Big in Japan in 2019, an experiment in ratios focusing on large ceramic pieces and inspired by conversations with Sonya Park.
