4 November 2023 – 25 February 2024

YSP Centre and Upper Space

This winter, Yorkshire Sculpture Park presents a new body of work by world-renowned ceramic artist and social media sensation, Florian Gadsby.

An apprentice of Clay College Stoke co-founder Lisa Hammond MBE, Florian Gadsby’s, By My Hands at YSP is a celebration of this incredible young artist’s journey from apprentice to worldwide acclaim.

Gadsby is creating a whole new body of work, available only at YSP, to showcase almost a decade of artistic discovery. It features new and tried-and-tested shapes, angled and simple forms, and beautiful pots coated in iron fired numerous times. Coinciding with the By My Hands exhibition, Penguin Books is publishing a new book of the same name, charting this celebrated craftsperson’s stratospheric career. The book will be available to buy from YSP Shop in store and online. Gadsby tells the very personal story of his artistic awakening, his education in England, Ireland and Japan, and the creativity, absolute commitment and discipline that has led him to become the cultural sensation he is today.

With a following of 775,000 on Instagram and 1.8 million on TikTok, Gadsby shares daily behind-the-scenes footage of his processes, inspiring others to appreciate his craft and get creative. Initially documenting Hammond’s studio and practices, whilst introducing his own style of making, he now posts daily to more than 3 million followers and subscribers across various platforms. He hopes this will inspire other people to embrace and make their own creations through the craft he loves.

Available to buy from YSP, Gadsby has donated an exclusive limited edition of approximately 60 beautiful and affordable angular vases. Glazed in his classic colours of white through to green, they will be marked with the artist’s stamp, which has been specially created for this YSP collaboration. A range of exclusive merchandise, including a canvas tote bag, 2024 calendar and mini prints of Gadsby’s stunning drawings will also be available to buy from YSP Shop, online and in store.

Gadsby works impure, high iron rich stoneware clay to produce his precision wheel-thrown tableware and one-off decorative sculptures, using traditional tools, techniques and processes. His unique style and personality have garnered a multi-million following online since he burst onto the art scene in 2014, whilst his shop updates sell out in seconds to an appreciative worldwide client list and fanbase.

Inspired by sleek metalwork, simple glassware and everyday wood craft objects such as bowls and pourers, Gadsby’s glazes are inherently detailed and full of depth. Muted tones, whites, blues, greys, and metallics permeate his collections and his personal style.

His glazes are simple in composition, often crackled with iron-flecked surfaces; he uses varying percentages of red iron oxide to change their colours from white to blue to green, alongside a range of blacks and whites and other metallic, bronzes and gun-metal like slips and glazes.

Events

Meet The Artist and Book Signing

4 November 2023, 11.00 – 16.00

An opportunity to meet Florian Gadsby on the opening day of his exhibition, By My Hands. Visitors will be able to chat to him and ask questions about his practice. His book and merchandise will be available to buy in the shop, for signing by the artist during the event.

£10.00 including free entry into YSP.

Book online at www.ysp.org.uk

Florian Gadsby Throwing Demonstration

17 February 2024, 10.30 – 16.30

A rare opportunity to see Florian Gadsby in action at the wheel. Hosted by Toby Brundin, Director of Ceramic Review Magazine, Gadsby will demonstrate and talk about how he throws his tableware, answering questions from the audience while he works.

£25.00 including free entry into YSP.

Book online at www.ysp.org.uk

Press enquiries

Elise Hammond, Sutton: +44 (0)20 7183 3577 / elise@suttoncomms.com

Deborah Hastie / +44 (0)7799 575558 / deborah.hastie@ysp.org.uk

Kirsty Young, Head of Marketing and PR, YSP / +44 (0)1924 832 515 / comms@ysp.org.uk

Download images https://ysp.org.uk/press

Listings Information

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG

Near Wakefield and Barnsley – M1 Junction 38

+44 (0)1924 832631 | ysp.org.uk | @YSPsculpture

Open seven days a week, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Booking essential, via ysp.org.uk