After Ash at County Hall Pottery
A Powerful Exploration of Fire, Clay, and Transformation
County Hall Pottery is currently presenting After Ash, a captivating exhibition that brings together eight leading ceramic artists in a powerful exploration of fire, transformation, and the elemental beauty of clay. Open now and running until 7th September 2025, the exhibition examines the unpredictable nature of wood firing and ash glazing. In this process, earth, fire, and time combine to leave their lasting marks on form and surface.
Through diverse techniques, from traditional Japanese wood kilns to experimental glaze chemistry and 3D printing, After Ash celebrates the intersection of ancient craft and contemporary innovation. Featuring work by Kazuya Ishida, Ho Lai, Fred Gwatkin, Toni De Jesus, Ian MacDonald, Jim Gladwin, Jynsym Ong, and Juliet Ferguson Rose, the exhibition explores how control, chance, and intuition converge in the making of ceramics.
The Transformative Power of Fire
At the heart of After Ash lies the philosophy of surrendering to process. Unlike conventional kiln firing, wood firing embraces unpredictability. As flames lick the clay and ash settles onto surfaces, colours, textures, and patterns emerge organically, making each piece completely unique.
The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on impermanence and transformation, showing how the material records every interaction with heat, atmosphere, and time. Every work bears traces of fire’s touch, revealing not only the physical properties of clay but also the intentions, vulnerabilities, and choices of the artists themselves.
Exhibition Highlights
Visitors can expect to encounter an extraordinary breadth of forms and techniques:
Kazuya Ishida’s minimalist Bizen-style forms
Trained in Japan under master potter Jun Isezaki, Ishida uses traditional anagama and noborigama climbing kilns to create vessels marked by elemental textures and organic surface variations.
Ho Lai’s experimental glazing techniques
The London-based ceramicist from Hong Kong pushes material boundaries through intricate glaze experiments, resulting in striking, layered finishes that merge tradition with contemporary expression.
Fred Gwatkin’s digitally influenced biomorphic vessels
Reconciling computational design with traditional ceramic practice, Gwatkin’s pieces incorporate 3D printing techniques to achieve forms that feel at once natural and futuristic.
Toni De Jesus’s dual-cultural approach
Drawing from Portuguese wood-firing traditions and Welsh ceramic language, De Jesus explores identity and symbolism through a hybridised craft perspective.
Ian MacDonald and Jim Gladwin’s elemental surfaces
Both artists allow fire and ash to act as collaborators in their process, leaving spontaneous, unrepeatable imprints on their work that speak to the passage of time and material history.
Jynsym Ong’s synthesis of tradition and modernity
Ong bridges British studio pottery with Japanese apprenticeship techniques, combining cultural memory with innovation in form and finish.
Juliet Ferguson Rose’s sculptural clay assemblages
Her practice blends making and excavation, creating layered compositions that suggest geological time, cultural narratives, and the poetic endurance of material.
County Hall Pottery: A New Destination for Contemporary Ceramics
Located on London’s South Bank overlooking the River Thames, County Hall Pottery is fast becoming one of the city’s most exciting destinations for ceramics. Managed by ceramicist Emma Louise Payne and artist Alex Simpson, the space champions innovation in craft, supporting makers through rotating exhibitions, pop-up markets, community engagement projects, and a potter-in-residence programme.
After Ash perfectly reflects the gallery’s vision: to highlight not only the technical mastery of contemporary ceramics but also its conceptual and cultural significance in today’s design landscape.
Why You Should Visit
After Ash offers a rare opportunity to engage with wood-fired ceramics at an international level, whether you’re drawn to the minimalist elegance of Japanese traditions, fascinated by experimental glazing techniques, or inspired by contemporary approaches to form, the exhibition demonstrates how ceramic practice continues to evolve while honouring its ancient roots.
For collectors, designers, and craft enthusiasts alike, After Ash is a chance to witness exceptional artistry and explore the profound relationship between maker, material, and process.
Event Details
Exhibition: After Ash
Dates: 7 July – 7 September 202
Venue: County Hall Pottery, Belvedere Road, London SE1 7GP
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00–18:00
