Welcome back to NewsFile, your weekly round-up of newsy tidbits and happenings from across the worlds of contemporary ceramics and contemporary ceramic art. We kick off this week with some mega-fly porcelain-inspired sneakers.
Designer Transforms Nike’s into Chinese Porcelain-inspired Kicks
The Nike Air Force 1 High was a premier Nike Basketball shoe when it released in 1982, and continues to be beloved by sneakerheads thanks to thirty-plus years of durability and tough play from Rasheed Wallace, Nice Kicks writes.
Going left in styling and East in inspiration, these Porcelain custom creation from Impeccable Scoop defies all norms by bringing 24k gold leaf accents, cherry blossom styling and baroque detailing to the ’82 favorite. What’s more? He even replaced the classic strap with a satin ribbon. Bravo.
According to Scoop’s website, the kicks feature a porcelain white upper, with hand engraved blue dragons that wrap around the entire shoe. 24 karat gold-leaf accents are found on the sole, Swoosh, heel and lace panels. Extra long satin ribbon laces also function as a strap.
Not a sneakerhead? Get your geek on as these kicks are stylized with a hand painted Porcelain Storm Trooper.
New Tiles for St. Augustine Restoration
Craven Dunnill & Co, leading ceramics specialist, is underway producing replacement tiles as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund restoration at Pugin’s Church of St Augustine in Ramsgate, England.
Encaustic tiles are a very important part of St Augustine’s. Augustus Pugin revived encaustic tile manufacture alongside Herbert Minton, who went on to tile buildings including the Houses of Parliament in London and the Capitol Building in Washington. Alongside stonework, woodwork, metalwork, and stained glass, tiles were part of Pugin’s revolution of design and style in the Gothic Revival.
The new tiles are being made to replace lost and damaged tiles for the floors of the Chancel and Lady Chapel. They will be made using the same processes rediscovered by Pugin and Minton, using Pugin’s original designs, the shrine’s website states. Additionally, The Visitor Centre will have a display of original Minton tiles which were originally laid in Parliament and given to St Augustine’s from the Palace of Westminster.
As Print Declines, Journalists Seek New Roles in Museums
Museums are benefitting from the decline of long-form print journalism according to Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic, Dezeen writes. In an interview with Dezeen editor-in-chief, Sudjic argues having honed their eye as writers, in the wake of print publications shutting their doors, design and art journalists are finding work through museum doors.
“Maybe it’s because the resources are fading in print journalism to actually give people the chance to explore subjects in a measured way.”
Sudjic tells Dezeen that while the fast-paced nature of online journalism is beneficial for breaking news, it often doesn’t offer as much opportunity and space for reflection on how art and design actually influences the world we live in.
“That’s what long-form journalism could once do and maybe now the way that museums operate is beginning to move into some of this territory.”
Watch the whole interview here.
Clever “Art Object” Apple a Ruse
Fruit Fantasy ceramic pipe, 3 x 3 inches. Click for larger image.
We love this take on the homemade apple pipe (we’re looking at you!). Take a bite out of bad vibes with this original ceramic apple pipe, available through Leafly.
Let this juicy lil’ fruit sit stealthily on your bookcase disguised as an art object until your real friends come over.
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