Contemporary Craft

Browse objects in the Contemporary Craft collection

Brighton & Hove Museums’ craft collection is the most important of its kind in the south of England outside London and arguably one of the most significant in the country.

It embodies excellence and innovation in British craft over the last 30 years and boasts works by 20th century craft pioneers alongside pieces by prominent contemporary makers and emerging young talent. It features every major craft discipline from ceramics, textiles, metalwork and glass to furniture, bookbinding, basket-making and plastics. The collection is continually evolving, and it aims at all times to reflect diversity and the broadening interpretation of crafts today.

The collection

The collection is a combination of the former South East Arts and Hove Museum & Art Gallery’s craft holdings, managed and developed by Brighton & Hove Museums, and recently renamed Brighton & Hove Museums’ Craft Collection.

South East Arts Craft Collection

The South East Arts Craft collection was founded in 1981 by ten leading makers from the region. Since then it has expanded from 22 objects to over 130 works by 60 regional makers across a wide range of disciplines. In 1985 South East Arts formed a partnership with Hove Museum to house and manage the collection. At the same time the South East Arts Annual Craft Purchase was set up to help fund new work, selected from open submission for its creativity, originality and quality of execution. This was supplemented by regular funding applications to the V&A Purchase Fund and the National Art Collections Fund (noe the Art Fund). In 2002 South East Arts merged with Southern Arts to create Arts Council South East. The whole collection was subsequently handed over to the care of Brighton & Hove Museums.

Hove Craft Collection

The Hove Craft Collection was started in 1973, and has since developed into a contemporary collection of considerable significance. It currently contains 46 key works, mainly studio ceramics by pre-eminent national makers such as Bernard Leach, Elizabeth Fritsch, Philip Eglin, Lucie Rie and Alison Britton. Other works include two constructed textile pieces by Michael Brennand Wood and a glass conceptual piece by Emma Woffenden.

The collection continues to grow, with a greater emphasis on representing national talent. Recent highlights include
• Adam Paxon’s Neckpiece, as a result of winning the Art Fund award at Collect 08
• Alice Kettle’s embroidery Here comes the moon, also purchased with help from the Art Fund after it had won the Art Embroidery prize, and
• Ann Sutton weavings, acquired through the Contemporary Art Society.

The galleries

Today most of the collection is showcased in new Contemporary Craft galleries at Hove Museum & Art Gallery. As well as providing an opportunity to view finished works by international craft makers, the galleries set craft in the context of making itself. Through innovative use of film, audio interviews and work-in-progress, visitors are able to discover how objects are produced from conception and development to completion.

A separate gallery breaks down these key processes into three distinct areas: Inspiration, Alchemy and Making.
Inspiration explores what inspires makers to work in their chosen discipline. It also examines sources and references that have informed makers’ decisions, from social and political comment to international arts and cultures.
Alchemy looks at how makers use the processes of molecular and chemical change to help them transform raw materials into works of art.
Making examines how makers manipulate and develop the range of skills and techniques at their disposal, to create innovative and inspirational work through exploration and design.