Discover the best in contemporary craft: five highlights from Collect Art Fair 2023

The Collect Art Fair, uniting a host of galleries and designers, is the place to discover new and emerging talent

sculptures
(Image credit: Left, Maya Leroy, Doodle Vase, 2022, Clay and right, Ahryun Lee, Bunny Couple, 2022, Ceramic. Photo for both: Pik'd)
By Hannah Silver
published

A one-stop shop for discovering fresh contemporary craft created in the last five years, Collect Art Fair unites a range of disciplines, from ceramics and glass to textiles, art jewellery and metalwork. The fair, which took place at Somerset House at the beginning of March, is now available online - here is what to look out for.

International Festival of Glass

glass bowl

(Image credit: Youngho Park, Memory Drop 5, 2022, Glass)

Discover the best in glass design in the International Festival of Glass’ thoughtful curation. Uniting 28 artists from Japan, South Korea and China, the exhibition teams respected artists including Hiroshi Yamano and Jiyong Lee alongside newer names such as Youngho Park, Daisuke Takeuchi and Zhenning Li. Whether playing on fantastical themes or creating optical illusions, pieces uniformly  demonstrate a mastery of the fragile material.

ifg.org.uk (opens in new tab)

Seeds

felt face

(Image credit: Elodie Blanchard, Content, 2022, Felt, polyester thread, Photo: Elodie Blanchard)

Artists Onka Allmayer-Beck and Elodie Blanchard blur the boundaries between art and design in their pieces for critical platform Seeds, which celebrates an experimental aesthetic. Allmayer-Beck’s ceramics in hand-glazed clay cut offbeat silhouettes, while Blanchard’s textiles encapsulate a joyful juxtaposition of materials. 

seedslondon.com (opens in new tab)

glass sculpture

(Image credit: Celia Dowson, Taroko Mist Peach Tint Vessel, 2021, Bullseye glass, Photo: Chloé Rosetta Bell)

London’s Flow Gallery finds the joy in the everyday. Pieces in materials including glass, porcelain and Icelandic horsehair are thoughtfully created to last, encouraging a moment of pause by focusing on simple forms and quality materials.

flowgallery.co.uk  (opens in new tab)

Goldsmiths’ Fair

silver ring

(Image credit: Emefa Cole, Damian' Ring, 2021, Sterling silver, gold leaf, Photo: Richard Valencia)

Goldsmiths’ Fair has, over the last four decades, established itself as the place to go to discover contemporary fine jewellery design and talented silversmiths. Bringing an offbeat sensibility to traditional jewellery design, pieces are united by their fresh take on form.

goldsmithsfair.co.uk (opens in new tab)

Pik’d

ceramic vases

(Image credit: Andrea Nassar, Rise & Fall, 2022, Ceramic, Photo: Pik'd)

The unique pieces from founder Randa Missir of Pik’d share a seductively subversive aesthetic, with artists including oni Losey, Ahryun Lee, Maya Leroy, Zein Daouk, Andrea Nassar, Marylynn Massoud and Rasha Nawam viewing design through a playful lens.

pikd.net (opens in new tab)

Following the fair at Somerset House from 3-5 March the fair is now exclusively online at artsy.net (opens in new tab)

Hannah Silver

Hannah Silver joined Wallpaper* in 2019 to work on watches and jewellery. Now, as well as her role as watches and jewellery editor, she writes widely across all areas including on art, architecture, fashion and design. As well as offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, Hannah is interested in the quirks of what makes for a digital success story.

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