Topographies of the Obsolete is an artistic research project that focuses on the closed Spode Works in Stoke-on-Trent, UK.

The first workshop Resurrecting the Obsolete took place in September 2012 in the Spode Factory, Stoke on Trent, UK organized by Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway (KHiB).

KHiB was invited as a Research Fellow Partner Institution by the British Ceramics Biennial 2013 and the first workshop included 33 staff and students from KHiB, The Royal Academy of Art Copenhagen, Muthesius Kunsthochschule Kiel, Sheffield Hallam Univerisity, University of Nottingham Trent and invited alumni/artists from KHiB. Together we explored the Spode site’s histories, industrial space and infrastructure.

The workshops have uncovered a variety of methods and strategies exploring the complexity of the site from different perspectives and practices particular to each of the artists/students involved. We had a great variation of expressions ranging from the performative intervention based to installation and object based work.

The second of the research residency took place in March 2013 as the artistic research project Topographies of the Obsolete. The third workshop takes place in August 2013.

In September a number of participants from the research project will present their works during the British Ceramics Biennial 2013.

This site will act as a meeting point for participants and others interested in our progress.

Monday, 30 September 2013

TOPOGRAPHIES OF THE OBSOLETE: VOCIFEROUS VOID IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

The day finally arrived! The result of the artistic activity connected to three workshops over the course of one year, arranged by the artistic research project Topographies of the Obsolete, is now open to the public. The exhibition and project maps the site through various media and artistic strategies that encompass object appropriation and re-contextualisation, architectural intervention, lens-based work and performative gesture.

"Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void" is the first major exhibition of the on-going artistic research project "Topographies of the Obsolete: Exploring the Site Specific and Associated Histories of Post-Industry". Engaging 32 international artists, with multi disciplinary approaches in affiliation with 5 institutions, the exhibition investigates the remnants and post-industrial ruin of the original Spode factory site.

The directors of the British Ceramics Biennial, Barney Hareduke and Jeremy Theophilos, welcomed everyone to the exhibition and the British Ceramcis Biennial. The opening speech for "Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void" was made by Professor Nina Malterud, member of the Steering Committee of the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme. The head of cultural affairs at the Norwegian Embassy in London; Eva Moksnes Vincent, attended the opening in order to see the results of the project.

Performances on opening day:

Andrew Brown: "A Walk through S"

Richard Launder & Julia Collura: “Glancing at Spode”

KELLY / MARHAUG: "Slipping" from Chapter three: Mandarin Dust














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