Contemporary Ceramics is excited to present New Members of the Craft Potters Association. As part of this group exhibition, we delve into the artists’ creative process and learn more about how they work. The exhibition runs from the 5th – 28th February 2026.
Schneider Schneider
The Exhibition
Contemporary Ceramics: How has your work grown or changed for this exhibition?
Schneider Schneider: In this exhibition I’m showing ‘pure porcelain’ pieces called: ‘From The Land Of The Living’ – my most recent work. These objects were inspired by the Russian witch Baba Yaga,- a prominent figure in fairy tales when growing up in the Eastern Block. She lives in a House on a giant chicken claw in the forest.
The pieces are made as assemblages of porcelain slip-cast forms. I have made slip-moulds for many years, but wanted to use these in different ways, testing new angles, gravity and whether they withstand the trials of time.
The phrase ‘From The Land of the Living’ (Petrarch) bridges times and circumstance, giving a sense of distance to the current, still observing it closely, tinted by personal narrative.
On Opposites and Tension
Contemporary Ceramics: Your work often explores the tension between perceived opposites, like function and uselessness or rebellion and tradition. How do you decide which contrasts to emphasize in a particular piece?
Schneider Schneider: Perceived opposites seem to be part of my innermost makeup. I don’t start thinking, what could I emphasize, it often becomes clear during the making process, when something in the materiality of clay (or other medium) challenges my practice.
On Personal and Cultural Influence
Contemporary Ceramics: Growing up in East Berlin shaped your approach to personal expression. How does this background continue to inform the themes of friction, contradiction, and resilience in your work?
Schneider Schneider: The essence is not to take anything unquestioned, always test the margins and don’t follow established habits or given rules – be true to yourself.
On Materials and Assemblage
Contemporary Ceramics: You combine porcelain, earthenware, and found objects in your sculptures. How does incorporating non-ceramic materials influence the narrative or meaning of a piece?
Schneider Schneider: There is an element of purity in a most ceramics, which I struggle with. My response to this is the introduction of materials, not as an addition but integral to the story of the work.
On Growth and Development
Contemporary Ceramics: How has your practice changed over time? What has been a seminal and/or inspirational moment?
Schneider Schneider: My early medium was performance art in East Berlin. After my ‘escape’ I studied Experimental Film and performance at Berlin Art College (HdK Westberlin).
Later, when I had children, I found it difficult to keep this going, but needed a creative valve. Having been inspired by regular stays with friends at Minniwick pottery (Andy Priestman) in Scotland, I trained as a potter (City & Guilds).
Initially I made functional ware, enjoying the flow of repetition. Gradually I began to test the boundaries of ceramic purity. I discovered mono-printing and started overloading images on surfaces, combining different clays with porcelain and embraced the introduction of other materials like resin, silicone, steel, found objects, insects.
