Toying with convention

摘要

Bringing together 84 works, including 54 ceramic pieces, items on paper, mixed media constructions, and an animated film spanning the period 1992-2014, the touring exhibition Bastard Son of Royal Doulton represents the wry, irreverent and sometimes pugnacious output of Stephen Bird. The title alludes to his reputation for subverting the tropes of traditional English ceramic ware, while maintaining the greatest respect for its artistry and the vital role it has played in the development of local industries. More broadly, it also acknowledges those famous potteries associated with Bird's birthplace of Stoke-on-Trent, and the path by which he came to find his artistic metier.