Tuesday 13 May 2003
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Bernard Leach: Life and Work
13/14 Cornwall Terrace, Outer Circle (entrance facing Regent's Park), London NW1 4QP
Organised by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
By Emmanuel Cooper
Published by Yale University Press
Recognised as the father of studio pottery, Bernard Leach (1887–1979) played a pioneering role in creating an identity for artist potters in Britain and around the world. Born in Hong Kong and educated in Britain, Leach acted as a courier between East and West. His pots reflect the inspiration he drew from both and his response to the tenets of modernism – truth to materials, the importance of function in relation to form and simplicity of decoration. This biography provides a vivid, detailed account of Leach’s life in relation to his art.
The book draws on previously unpublished documents and the recollections of the artist’s family, friends and students. Cooper explores Leach’s working methods, themes, writings and philosophy, his recognition in Japan and Britain, and his continuing legacy.
About the contributors
Emmanuel Cooper
Emmanuel Cooper is visiting Professor of Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art. He is editor of Ceramic Review: The International Magazine of Ceramic Art and Craft and has published widely on the visual arts.