A selection of Ireland’s master craftspeople will feature at Collect 2023, the leading international fair for contemporary craft and design, at Somerset House in London this week. Running from Friday, 3rd March until Sunday, 5th March, the Irish exhibition at Collect 2023 features work by a selection of makers from Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s PORTFOLIO Critical Selection 2021-2022.
Design & Crafts Council Ireland established the PORTFOLIO programme in 2005 to recognise Irish practitioners creating work to a standard considered worthy by museums, renowned galleries, and discerning collectors. The benchmark for this elite group selected for PORTFOLIO is achievement of excellence in contemporary craftsmanship and design by comparative international standards. PORTFOLIO has been instrumental in building the international reputations and commercial potential of Ireland’s best designer‐makers of contemporary craft. The 10 makers representing Ireland at Collect 2023 are Max Brosi, Mike Byrne, Antonio Julio Lopez Castro, Mary Conroy, Jack Doherty, Joe Hogan, Mary Nagle, Annemarie O’Sullivan, Emer Roberts, and Gráinne Watts. Their work has previously been exhibited at Conjuring Form, a touring exhibition curated by Alice Stori Liechtenstein, founder of the Schloss Hollenegg for Design, to showcase PORTFOLIO Critical Selection 2021-2022.
The 2023 Ireland contribution at Collect is curated by independent curator, Billie Muraben. Speaking about the exhibition, Billie Muraben said: “I am excited to bring together this brilliant selection of works. Each practitioner has a distinct relationship to Ireland, and a unique material approach. The exhibition includes pieces in sycamore, ceramics, copper, heather, willow, and 18-carat gold. Their work has a shared relationship with ecology and natural forms, with common themes of the potential for beauty in the everyday, empathy for the more-than-human, and respect for ancient crafts.”
Rosemary Steen, CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said: “Collect is a leading international fair and Design & Crafts Council Ireland are delighted to be working on it with Crafts Council again this year. It is wonderful to have this opportunity to celebrate the diverse range and breadth of craft and design being created by Irish makers on an international level, several of which were selected for the Homo Faber 2022 Best in Europe exhibition. In bringing our makers to Somerset House, they have an opportunity to increase their profile and extend their customer base on an international level. I would like to congratulate the many makers in this exhibition.”
Collect 2023 presents a cohort of leading galleries from across the globe, altogether representing over 400 outstanding artists. Most of the work has been made in the last five years, with many artists creating new work for the fair. Ceramics, glass, lacquer, art jewellery, precious metalwork, textiles and fibre, wood and paper are all displayed side-by-side to create a unique opportunity for collectors and craft enthusiasts alike.
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