Lucie Rie: Ceramics & Buttons
22 June 2018 – 3 November 2019
As one of the most respected potters of the 20th century, Dame Lucie Rie (1902-1995) was known for her finely thrown and beautifully decorated functional domestic ceramics.
She emigrated to the UK during the Second World War and began producing ceramic buttons for the fashion industry, after spotting a gap in the market as many British button factories had been requisitioned for the War effort.
This exhibition at the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA), York Art Gallery highlights this less well known area of her practice, displaying hundreds of her beautiful buttons alongside many examples of domestic wares she became celebrated for.
There are also pieces on display from the significant people in Lucie’s life. Those people include Hans Coper, one of the émigré potters Lucie employed, to Bernard Leach, a leading authority on studio pottery who Lucie turned to for advice.
To see some of the fascinating work on display, take a look at the images below:
Please note: we’ll be making some exciting changes to this exhibition from 21-23 May which may cause some disruption. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause.
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