Research

Recent Research Studentships

The Leach Pottery works with Universities to support the delivery of a range of PhD/MPhil research fellowships across ceramic history and practice.

Giorgio Salani 'Towards a taxonomy of artisanal ceramic tableware: a practice-led enquiry into qualities and values in contemporary British and Japanese pottery'

What goes into making pottery by hand in post-industrial societies? What stages in the making are responsible for the qualities we appreciate in handmade pottery? How do values such as tradition and craftsmanship relate to contemporary production?

Alexandra Lambley: 'Mingei and its Transnational Reception: The Translation and Appropriation of Mingei Theory and Practice by Bernard Leach’s four Vancouver Apprentices (1958-1979)'

This research project considers the differing translations and appropriations of Mingei theory and practice by the four apprentices, their counterparts and students in the context of postcolonial, multicultural Vancouver and its environs.

Jillian Echlin: 'The contemporary potters of Iran: cultural exchange and developments in modern and post-modern ceramic practice'

How do we understand and define contemporary ceramics practice in Iran? How are Iranian potters engaging with international trends in the ceramic arts? What are some of the historical, political, social, religious, and artistic contexts influencing Iranian ceramics today, and how can we critically evaluate our responses to such works?

Matthew Tyas: 'Designing 21st Century Standard Ware: The Cultural Heritage of Leach and the Potential Applications of Digital Technology'