GO GREEN: CERAMICS – FUNCTIONAL, SUSTAINABLE, BEAUTIFUL

Short Film Competition

The theme of the competition “Go Green: Ceramics – Functional, Sustainable, Beautiful” invites the participants to take a look at ceramic materials in relation to the current culinary, dining and social culture. An important aspect in the competition is the value of ceramic products as they combine ecological sustainability, functionality and beauty in appearance. The social relevance, modernity and timeliness of ceramic products in Europe are also important viewpoints in the competition.

A wide range of filming styles are encouraged including documentary, fictional, animated or a combination of everything. The contribution length is limited to at least 15 to a maximum of 60 seconds. The closing date of the competition is on October 7th, 2018.

Applicants: 

All students and apprentices with film science or design background as well as graduates up to two years after their studies or training can take part in the competition. In addition, experienced film producers and film enthusiasts are invited to contribute to the competition. All participants must be at least 18 years old.

Technical information:

The clips should be uploaded on the Clip Award-Website (www.gogreen-clipaward.org). For the best possible results it is recommended to upload the film with the following technical specifications:
•    video format: HD/Full-HD, 1080p – 1920p
•    audio format: aac
•    file format: mp4, m4v, mov, avi, mpg (optimum: H.264, aac, 25 fps, 5000 kBit/s)
•   NB! Films may be submitted in any language, as long as they have German or English subtitles.

Prizes:

1. PRIZE 2.000 €
2. PRIZE 1.000 €
3. PRIZE 500 €
4. TO IO. PRIZE
 Material prizes worth 500 € each
AUDIENCE AWARD 
2 nights including breakfast for 2 
in a 4-star hotel in Bad Alexanderbad the land of porcelain

The award ceremony will take place on November 6, 2018 in Berlin, Germany.

More information:

Further information about the competition (e.g. about the terms and condition and jury) can be found on the competition website and on the Ceramics and its Dimensions website.

Clip Award 2018 is part of the EU-Project Ceramics and its Dimensions, which is led by Porzellanikon porcelain museum and co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. The competition is carried out in co-operation with Kahla porcelain.

Creating a Place for Play and Learning with Clay

The objective of the Clay Pit workshop concept is to create a place for play and learning with ceramics: The participants explore with the material in its various stages of transition using oversized tools and different spaces and surfaces. The workshop was held at the sculpture workshop on the snowy Otaniemi campus for a group of 15 students and staff members from the course Silicate – Form, glaze and surface structure from University of Art and Design Offenbach. The participants enjoyed the possibility to throw themselves into a process of experimentation with the material without having to think about the outcome or results.

The Clay Pit was first launched during the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) festival 2017 in Stoke-on-Trent where it hosted over 4000 participants. The workshop has been developed in a cooperation between community and engagement programme manager Dena Bagi from BCB and Ceramics and its Dimensions: Shaping the Future co-ordinator doctoral candidate Priska Falin from Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture (Aalto ARTS), Department of Design. They also recreated the workshop at Aalto.

New Master’s Programme in Contemporary Design at Aalto 

The visit of the course from University of Art and Design Offenbach was hosted by a new Aalto ARTS design master’s programme called Contemporary Design. The new programme combines the experimental processes of analog and digital design and its first students will start in autumn 2018.

The idea of the three-day-visit of the group from Offenbach was to exchange ideas on the experimental ways of teaching design. Professor Maarit Mäkelä and lecturer Anna van der Lei presented their work and the new design master’s programme for the guests. Professor Markus Holzbach from University of Art and Design Offenbach gave a presentation about his work in teaching visualization and material research at the university. The Clay Pit workshop offered a wonderful opportunity for the guests to work with an experimental ceramics process as a part of their visit.

The Clay Pit Workshop as a Research Project

One aim of the Clay Pit workshop is to look at the material’s qualities and how they are used as well the experiences of the participants on how they connect with the material. Data has been collected from the workshop experiences and the Clay Pit concept has been developed further. A paper that discusses the workshop will be presented at the Restating Clay conference in the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) at York Art Gallery (UK) in March 2018. The Clay Pit workshop has been shortlisted for Best Family Event award of the Arts Council of England.

For more information: 

The Clay Pit workshop at the BCB festival 2017 
Aalto ARTS Master’s programme in Contemporary Design

Future Lights in Ceramics – the competition

Future Lights is an annual competition for people at an early stage in their career with ceramics. The aim of the competition is to support people in their careers, to encourage cross-disciplinary learning and approaches and to promote ceramics to younger audiences. The competition is a part of the European Ceramics and its Dimensions project and it is run by Porzellanikon and co-organised by Staffordshire University, the Design and Craft Council of Ireland and the British Ceramics Biennial. So far three competitions have been organised, see the winners on the artist page.

The Theme 2018: Go green – Ceramics and the Environment

In 2018, the Future Lights theme is: Go green – Ceramics and the Environment. This year the judges want to discover talented early career professionals who are exploring questions of sustainability, ecology and resource-saving in both production and use. Read more about the theme here. The following aspects are important in the judgemental process: relevant experience and expertise, the quality of the work evidenced, how well the work responses to the theme and the ability of the applicant to be an ambassador for European ceramics and to inspire others.

The Future Lights in Ceramics – Applicants

The applicants can be e.g. artists, artisans, designers, historians, art historians, museum curators or researchers who work with ceramics. There is no age limit but applicants should have completed their main full-time studies within the last five years and they must be resident in EU or associated states. Applicants should have expertise, experience or innovative ideas that respond to the theme. Applications will be shortlisted and 18 finalists will be invited to present their work to a panel of judges at Kilkenny Castle (UK) in September 2018. The finalists get the chance to visit Ceramics Ireland’s International Festival at Thomastown.

The Future Lights in Ceramics – Winners

6 competition winners will be invited to attend a workshop where participants collaborate across disciplines and develop new work. They are also invited to showcase their work at high profile events across Europe through the wider Ceramics and its Dimensions project. Since summer 2017 the Future Light in Ceramics winners have for example been traveling around Europe with the Ceramics and its Dimensions: Shaping the Future exhibition. In February 2019, the winners will exhibit their work at Ambiente fair, the world’s most important consumer goods trade fair that is attended by more than 134,000 trade visitors from over 150 countries.

The application process

Applications must be submitted in English by March 31st 2018. The following information has to be sent with WeTransfer to jana.goebel(at)porzellanikon.org:

1. Personal details: Name, address, email address, website, social media links
2. A brief biography in the 3rd person (50 words)
3. Personal CV
4. A statement about your work e.g. artist’s statement (100 words)
5. A response to this year’s theme (250 words)
6. Why you think you’d be a good ambassador for ceramics (250 words)
7. Up to 5 photos of your work (printing size at a maximum 21 x 29,7 cm), published articles or research papers
8. Confirmation that you have read the Terms & Conditions

All 8 items should be included in ONE pdf file in the order given above and named as follows: Surname_First Name_FLapplication_2019 (e. g. Goebel_Jana_FLapplication_2019.pdf)

If you have any access or support needs, please get in touch with Jana Göbel from Porzellanikon (jana.goebel(at)porzellanikon.org / +49 9287 91800 614).

Porzellanikon will contact all applicants in July 2018 to inform them of the outcome of their application.

The Jury

The jury is chaired by Wilhelm Siemen, the director of Porzellanikon, and comprises representatives from partners in the Ceramics and its Dimensions project.

• Iain Cartwright, British Ceramics Biennial
• Franz Chen, Franz Porcelain, Taiwan
• Dr. Jaume Coll Conesa, Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias “González Martí”
• Dr. Biljana Djordjević, National Museum Belgrade
• Assistant Professor Dr. Mateja Kos, Narodni muzej Slovenije
• Nathalie Lautenbacher, Aalto University
• Kai Lobjakas, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Tallinn
• Gus Mableson, Design & Crafts Council of Ireland
• Professor Barbara Schmidt, Kunsthochschule Berlin
• John Tynan, Design and Crafts Council of Ireland
• Professor David Sanderson, Staffordshire University
• Rachel Dickson, Ulster University

More Information!

For more information go to: futurelights.ceramicsanditsdimensions.eu

Contact person / Aalto University: Priska Falin (priska.falin(at)aalto.fi)

Contact person / Porzellanikon: Jana Göbel: jana.goebel(at)porzellanikon.org

Future Lights on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CandIDUK/

Future Lights on Twitter: @CeramicsProject