Artist Speaker Series - Whitewashing the past: C.F. Binns & Ceramics History

When

What are Eco-critical ceramics practices? When were they established? How is the climate crisis impacting contemporary ceramics practices? This lecture explores significant moments in the history of ceramics and establishes a timeline of ‘alternative’ practices. Engaging with the legacy of Charles Fergus Binns (1857-1934), a widely published scholar and the first director of the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, and an influential visit by in Robert Smithson (1938-1973) to Alfred in 1969, this presentation explores questions of pedagogy and hope in a time of solastalgia.

The Randall Chair at the School of Art and Design was established in 2007 to honor the legacy of artist and educator Theodore Randall, who is remembered as the architect of the School of Art and Design at Alfred and as a significant artist and organizer in the field of ceramic art. This position, rotating among the Divisions of the School every semester is held by established artists or art historians who are non-US citizens living outside of the United States and who, by virtue of extensive experience, can bring diverse cultural experiences to the curriculum at Alfred.   

Dr. Wendy Gers is a Franco-South African academic, curator, and consultant based in the Netherlands. Dr. Gers is Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics in the Netherlands and the current Theodore Randall Chair of Art History at Alfred University, New York. Dr. Gers has lived and worked in Europe, North America, East Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Over the past decade, she has curated major exhibitions on three continents, including biennales in China and Taiwan. Dr. Gers has authored numerous publications, chapters, and scholarly articles and lectured in over 20 nations. 

Lecture on November 21 at 4:30 pm, in Nevins Theater.