Stephen Bird
Born: 1964Place of Birth: The Potteries, Stoke-on-Trent
Stephen Bird was born in The Potteries, trained at Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee and, making his home and a huge international reputation from Sydney, he remains aloof from any artist pigeon-hole. He works with both paint and clay and has also undertaken a number of site-specific sculpture commissions. Bird’s influences and interests include English figure and slipware traditions and paintings and artefacts culled from his extensive travels through India, Asia and Australia. His use of words, collage and found objects as part of the final work, results in powerful multi-dimensional imagery which reflect on the global, transcultural nature of myths and ceramic archetypes.
'I began my Industrial Sabotage series in 2006 as part of an exhibition and research at the Potteries Museum Stoke on Trent. I use the term Industrial Sabotage to explain how I have re-interpreted the tradition of mass produced ornament ceramics made in Stoke on Trent in the 18th and 19th centuries. Initially I looked at the emotional aspects of the figurines and then went on to explore political messages, prohibition and violence as a way of using ceramics to comment on sensitive current issues. In the last phase of Industrial Sabotage I am looking at the irrational, the absurd and the ridiculous, and trying to drive my work towards some kind of disconcerting hiatus in order to re-examine the figurine, the figurative vessel, its context and its contemporary significance.' - Stephen Bird
Public collections include:
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia; National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh; National Museums Northern Ireland.
Stephen Bird was the subject of a solo exhibition - Kiln Gods - during the International Festival, August 2019. View and purchase a copy of the catalogue to accompany Kiln Gods here.
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Man Walking Up An Incline View details
Stephen Bird
Man Walking Up An Incline
2017Tin glazed earthenwareH:32cm W:32cm£550Stephen Bird in his Studio View details-
Woman With A Banana View details
Stephen Bird
Woman With A Banana
2017glazed earthenwareH:40cm W:20cm D:20.5cmSoldWhere Am I Going Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Where Am I Going Plate
2016glazed earthenwareH:52cm W:43cmSoldAdam and Eve Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Adam and Eve Plate
2018tin glazed earthenwareD:32cmSoldTitian Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Titian Plate
2018tin glazed earthenwareD:38cmSoldDaphne Shot By Eros Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Daphne Shot By Eros Plate
2018glazed earthenwareD:31cmSoldAdam and Eve Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Adam and Eve Plate
2019glazed earthenwareH:42cm W:51cmSoldWoman Painting Her Toenails View detailsStephen Bird
Woman Painting Her Toenails
2017glazed earthenwareH:42cm W:24cm D:20cmSoldFace Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Face Plate
2019glazed earthenware with orange lustreH:31cm W:24cmSoldMan Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Man Plate
2016tin glazed earthenware with enamelH:43cm W:30cmSoldGold Member Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Gold Member Plate
2018glazed earthenware with enamelD:40cmSoldOff To Shop Plate, Staffordshire Style View detailsStephen Bird
Off To Shop Plate, Staffordshire Style
2017glazed earthenware with enamelD:37cmSoldWee Man View detailsStephen Bird
Wee Man
2016kaolin clay with blue celadon glaze with enamelH:17cm W:15cm D:12cmSoldFace With Donut And Paint Brush Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Face With Donut And Paint Brush Plate
2015tin glazed earthenware with enamel and lustreH:41cm W:29cmSoldMan With Biscuit Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Man With Biscuit Plate
2017tin glazed earthenware with enamelH:52cm W:43cmSoldHead Vase View detailsStephen Bird
Head Vase
2016enamelled Jingdezhen porcelainH:47cm W:21cm D:21cmSoldExotic Vase View detailsStephen Bird
Exotic Vase
2016enamelled Jingdezhen porcelainH:21cm W:11cm D:11cmSoldLarge Fuck The World Plate View detailsStephen Bird
Large Fuck The World Plate
2016enamelled Jingdezhen porcelainH:9cm D:55cmSoldWalking Man With Dog View detailsStephen Bird
Walking Man With Dog
2017glazed earthenware with enamel and lustreH:42cm W:32cm D:20cmSoldTartan Face Plate View detailsLoading
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