Ten Things To See At London's Collect Fair
Isobel Dennis, director of the 18-year-old contemporary craft fair, shares her picks of this month's upcoming show.
Organised by the Crafts Council, held at London's Somerset House, Collect showcases exceptional craft made in the last five years by living artists and designers. Disciplines on show at this year's 30+ booths will include ceramics, glass, lacquer, art jewellery, precious metalwork, textiles and fibre, wood and paper, even resin and bone.
Isobel Dennis, fair director, believes in pandemic times more than ever, people are becoming interested in collecting craft, often to complement visual art such as photography and paintings. "Everyone has been spending a lot more time in their homes and people are becoming more discerning about what they're living with," she says over Zoom. "Craft often has strong links to provenance which is indicative of how we're changing our buying habits now; it's about purchasing local and supporting and nurturing a craftsperson, rather than, 'my interior designer can source something'. There is something special about the touch of the hand and the sense of humanity with craft."
She adds: "Craft is a very accessible sector, you don't feel like you need a fine art degree to appreciate it."
Like many art and design fairs, this year's Collect will be a hybrid between virtual and physical, with the physical fair taking place in the beautiful surrounds of Somerset House from 25th-27th February 2022. The virtual fair will run from 23rd February to 6th March 2022. Some 30 galleries will be displaying work in person with an additional nine joining virtually.
Isobel Dennis, director of Collect, shares her ten must-see pieces at this year's fair. To book tickets click here.
Gallery: Sarah Myerscough Gallery
Artist: Arko
Title: A Head-Sea Over the Night Sky
Material: Rice Straw
Gallery: Ruup & Form
Artist: Naomi McIntosh
Title: Cocoon Vessel 1
Medium: Beech Wood
Gallery: Queen Elizabeth’s Scholarship Trust, (QEST)
Artist: Daniel Freyne
Title: Tranquil Bowls
Medium: Forged and Raised Iron
Gallery: Cynthia Corbett Gallery
Artist: Amy Hughes
Title: Medium After Alhambra
Medium: Coil and Slab Built Vase
Gallery: Flow Gallery
Artist: Nina Malterud
Title: Weather Map Plates
Medium: Ceramic
Gallery: Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections
Artist: Dawn Bendick
Title: Time Rock Stack XII
Medium: Cast Stones and Relics from a medieval church, in dichroic glass embedded with metallic particles, that react chromatically to the frequency of light.
Gallery: MADEINBRITALY
Artist: Elica Studios
Title: Phylocallos
Medium: Porcelain
Gallery: Candida Stevens Gallery
Artist: Alice Kettle
Title: Catherine of Braganza
Medium: Thread on Linen
Gallery: Design-Nation
Artist: Ella Fearon-Low
Title: Tilda Brooch
Medium: Gold and Silver Steel
Gallery: Lloyd Choi Gallery
Artist: Kim Dong-Wan
Title: Ottchil Glass Pots
Medium: Glass Blown and Natural Lacquer
