Ashraf Hanna at work
... opened my eyes to the beauty and contentment that exist within a well considered and executed form ...

Biography

Curriculum Vitae

1967
Born - El Minia - Egypt
1986-89
Foundation and Access Studies in Expressive Art - El Minia College of Fine Arts
1991-94
BA Hons Theatre Design - Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design
1997
Began working with clay
1998
Set up studio in Hackney - East London
1999
Awarded Professional Membership - Craft Potters Association
2000
Moved to Pembrokeshire and established current studio
2002
Elected to Fellowship of the Craft Potters Association
2011
Awarded MA – Ceramics & Glass – Royal College of Art

Awards

2016
Crossover Award at Emerge 2016
2015
First Prize British Glass Biennale (Best in Show)
2013
Major Creative Wales Award
2010
Welsh Artist of the Year 2010 - Applied Arts category Purchase Award - The National Eisteddfod
2008/09
Public Award for best in show - International Ceramics Fair - Oldenburg Germany
2008
Best of the Best Award - Art in Action Festival
2003
Sotheby’s Highly Commended Award - Potfest in the Park
2002
Peers Award - Art in Clay - Hatfield House

Collections

Museum Ariana, Geneva, Switzerland
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK
Bullseye Glass Company, Oregon, USA
Ernsting Stiftung Alter Hof Herding Glass Museum
National Museum of Wales
Contemporary Arts Society of Wales
University of Wolverhampton - Student Award at The International Ceramics Festival, Aberystwyth, sponsored by Studiopottery.co.uk
The International Ceramics Festival - Aberystwyth
Royal Bank of Scotland
Rufford Ceramic Centre - Newark
Cartwright Hall - Bradford
WBBFuchs Collection - Ceramic Manufacturers - Germany

Solo Exhibitions

2022
Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath UK
 
Lemon Street Gallery, Truro
2021
Maud and Mabel, London
 
Contemporary Ceramics Centre, London
2019
Galerie Ligne Trieze, Geneva, Switzerland
2017
Contemporary Ceramics Centre, London UK
2014
Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath UK
2012
Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath UK
 
Le Don Du Fel Gallery, France
2011
Contemporary Ceramics Centre, London UK
2009
Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath UK
2007
Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath UK
 
Bluecoat Display Centre - Showcase Event, Liverpool UK
2003
Contemporary Ceramics - Showcase Event, London UK
2002
Yorkshire Museum - Showcase Event, Curated by Maggie Barnes – York UK
2001
The Mercer Art Gallery, Curated by Maggie Barnes – Harrogate UK

Selected Exhibitions & Shows

2023
Make Hauser & Worth Somerset
 
The Treasure House Fair, London with the Adrian Sassoon Gallery
2022
“COLLECT 2022”, London, represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
 
Ceramic Art London
 
“ARTEFACT 2022”, London, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
2021
“ARTEFACT 2021”, London, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
 
Contemporary Ceramic Art from the Middle East, V&A, London
 
Crafting A Difference, Argentine Ambassador's Official Residence, London
 
Oxford Ceramics Fair, Oxford, UK
2020
“COLLECT”, London, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
2019
“COLLECT”, London, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
 
Ceramic Art London
 
Fresh Art Fair, Cheltenham, UK
 
Surface and Form, part II, Stoke on Trent, UK
 
Alter - curated by Cavaliero Finn gallery at the Fitzrovia Chapel, London
 
Showcase with Sue Hanna, Bevere Gallery, Worcester, UK
 
International Biennial of Contemporary Ceramics, Parcours Céramique, Carougeois
2018
London Art Fair, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
 
“COLLECT”, London, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
 
Ceramic Art London
 
Lasting Impressions - Touring Exhibition - Ireland
 
London Craft Week, Represented by Cavaliero Finn Gallery
 
Earth & Fire International Ceramic Fair
 
Homo Faber - Crafting a more human future, Venice, Italy
 
The Second Half Career
 
The Stratford Gallery, Stratford-on-Avon, UK
 
Oxford Ceramic Fair, UK
2017
“COLLECT” Fair at the Saatchi Gallery - represented by Bullseye Project
 
Home from Home, Contemporary Applied Arts, London
 
Grassi Messe Leipzip, Germany
 
Celebrating Living Old Masters, London
 
Oxford Ceramics Fair, Oxford, UK
 
New Horizons, Joanna Bird Gallery, London
 
A Future Made Miami, Design Miami, USA
2016
Gallerie Du Don, France
 
The Best of British Exhibition, Mansfield Gallery, New South Wales, Australia
 
The Gallery at Hexagon Classics, London, UK
 
Etienne Gallery, Oisterwijk, Netherlands
 
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, UK
 
Emerge 2016, Oregon, USA
 
Future Heritage - curated by Corinne Julius at Decorex International
2015
Scapes- Exhibition curated by Racheline Michaels at The Gallery At Talbot House.
 
ST ART Fair Strasbourg, France- represented by Galerie Du Don
 
“ESSENCE” London Glass Blowing – London UK
 
The British Glass Biennale - Ruskin Glass Centre
 
“COLLECT” Fair at the Saatchi Gallery - represented by Ruthin Craft Centre
 
Ceramic Art London – Royal College of Art – London UK
 
Puls Gallery - Brussels - Belgium
 
Emmanuel Cooper's Legacy - Contemporary Ceramics Centre - London UK
2014
Young Clay – Westerwaldmuseum – Höhr-Grenzhausen - Germany
2013
Young Clay - Keramiekcentrum Tiendschuur - Tegelen - Netherlands
 
Living with Ceramics – Two person exhibition with Natasha Daintry
 
The Gallery at Talbot House - Curated by Racheline Michaels – London UK
2012
“COLLECT” Fair at the Saatchi Gallery - Represented by Ruthin Crafts Centre
 
“Figure, Form & Material” Ashraf & Sue Hanna at Rufford Craft Centre
 
“In Situ” Group Exhibition -The Civic Art Centre – Barnsley – West Yorkshire
 
“Earth” Group Exhibition - Ruthin Craft Centre - Wales
 
Ceramic Art London Fair – Royal College of Art – London UK
 
Group Exhibition - The Gallery at Talbot House - London UK - Curated by Racheline Michaels
2011
MA Graduation Show – Royal College of Art – London UK
 
“In Situ - Group Exhibition - The Civic Art Centre – Barnsley – West Yorkshire
 
“Earth” Group Exhibition - Ruthin Crafts Centre - Wales
 
Ceramic Art London Fair - Royal College of Art – London UK
 
Group Exhibition - The Gallery at Talbot house – Curated by Racheline Michaels
 
Le Don Du Fel Gallery - Three Artist-Makers - France
 
Welsh Artist of The Year Exhibition - St David’s Hall - Cardiff
 
The National Eistedfodd - Wales
2009
Ceramic Art London Fair at the RCA- London
 
Art in Action - Invited Demonstrator - Waterperry House & Gardens
 
Oldenburg international Ceramic Fair - Germany
 
Westerwald Preis Exhibition – Westerwaldmuseum – Hohr-Grenzhausen - Germany
 
Westerwald Preis – Touring Exhibition – Museum of International Art, Grimmerhus - Denmark
 
Westerwald Preis - Touring exhibition - Kammerhof Museen – Gmunden - Austria
2008
Formed in Fire – Group Exhibition - The Leach Pottery - St. Ives
 
Joint Exhibition with Sue Hanna – Rufford Craft Centre
 
Ceramic Art London Fair at the Royal College of Art – London
 
Joint Exhibition with Sue Hanna - Tenby Museum - Wales
2007
Clay14 Group Exhibition - Woodbury Studio Gallery
 
Art in Action - Invited Demonstrator - Waterperry House & Gardens
 
Solo Showcase Event - Liverpool Arabic Festival - Bluecoat Display Centre
 
CPA AT FIFTY – Touring Exhibition
 
17 Prime Makers - Group Exhibition – Ireland & Wales
 
“Monochrome” - Group Exhibition - Contemporary Ceramics Gallery – London
 
Ceramic Art London Fair at the Royal College of Art – London UK
2006
Joint Exhibition with Deirdre Burnett – Alpha House Gallery - Dorset
 
Ceramic Art London Fair at the Royal College of Art – London UK
 
“COLLECT” Fair – Victoria & Albert Museum – Represented by Contemporary Ceramics
2005
“Ceramic Art London” - Fair at the Royal College of Art – London UK
 
“HAYES & HANNA’ – Two-Person Show - Rufford Ceramic Centre
 
“New Directions” - Group Show/Book Launch Exhibition for Tim Andrews at Alpha House
 
“Smoke-Fired in Britain” - Group Exhibition - Loes & Reinier Gallery - Netherlands
 
“COLLECT” Fair – Victoria & Albert Museum – Represented by Contemporary Ceramics
2003
“Clay Ten”- Group Show - Woodbury Studio Gallery - Devon
 
“Solo Showcase” – Contemporary Ceramics Gallery – London UK
 
Group Show with Duncan Ross and John Ward – Curated by Tim Boon at Alpha House
2002
SOFA - CHICAGO – Represented by Contemporary Ceramics

 

Artist's Statement

I am an Egyptian born British artist, currently resident and working from my studio in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

Growing up in Egypt I was surrounded by pottery forms that have changed little since the ancient times, classical forms that have filtered through the ages, touched and formed by the hand of the potter. These forms were functional storage jars and water cooling urns. It was not however until I went to El Minia College of Fine Arts that I started to really look at them. Close observation during drawing classes of still life compositions opened my eyes to the beauty and contentment that exist within a well considered and executed form.

Drawing is fundamental in training our eyes to see, the action of trying to pick up a line from a three dimensional object and marking it down on a paper is a powerful gesture that surpasses the basic skill, a projection of a line that becomes etched in our psyche as we forge an emotional and intellectual bond with such object.

The long hours spent in the drawing studio not only developed the skill needed to make a mark but, more importantly, it was a time of meditation, allowing me to free my mind from preconceptions that normally govern our perception of functional pottery. It had become increasingly obvious that objects derive their value not only from certain inherent qualities and attributes but, crucially, also from how we relate to them in a particular context. This has initiated and shaped my relationship with pottery forms ever since, seeing them as a vehicle of creativity worthy of contemplation.

When I enjoyed drawing pots back in Egypt, it never occurred to me that I would be making them.

The mark making is now a direct interaction between the hand and a lump of clay, fingers are no longer just used to hold the pencil but to exact an immediate gesture manipulating the solid mass of clay.

They become tools that are hard wired directly to our brains, forming, touching and sensing, creating a voluminous form, containers of material, thoughts and emotions.

These very tools – our fingers – become an integral part of appreciating ceramics forms when we approach them as an audience, connecting both maker and observer.

The vessel has evolved from its basic function to contain, to become a vessel of mans' creativity. In surpassing functionality vessels have invited a more poetic and meditative approach to making.

When we make, the physicality of an object is a manifestation of thoughts and emotions that we experience, a celebration of the marriage of ideas and skill. An object in my opinion should have a physical presence that invites a response on a number of levels, emotional as well as intellectual.

 

Media

Form & Material from R&A Collaborations on Vimeo.

Bibliography

2016
The New Glass Review - Corning Museum
 
Clay - Amber Creswell Bell - Thames & Hudson
2015
CFile 3rd December 2015
 
Australian Craft Magazine- article about the British Glass Biennale- Keith Cummings
2012
Klei Magazine - Lead article - Netherlands
 
The Workshop Guide to Ceramics - Duncan Hooson & Anthony Quinn - Quarto Publishing
2011
Ceramics: ‘Tools and Techniques for the Contemporary Maker’- Louisa Taylor Aurum Press
 
Challenging Success - Article in Ceramic Review - Amanda Fielding - Sep/Oct Issue
2010
Techniques Using Slips - John Mathieson - A&C Black – Ceramic Handbook series
2009
Contemporary Ceramics - Emmanuel Cooper - Thames & Hudson
2008
Smoke Fired Pottery - Second edition – Jane Perryman
2007
Firing: Philosophies within Contemporary Ceramic Practice – David Jones
2005
New edition of ‘Raku’ - Tim Andrews
2004
Article in Dutch Magazine Klei
 
Artist of the Week - www.ceramicstoday.com
 
Article - Ceramic Review - Issue 187
 
The Complete Potter - Steve Mattison
 
The Potters Dictionary - Frank & Janet Hamer - New Edition