Bernard Leach, “the father of British studio pottery,” was the reason that the Cologne-born artist Kai Althoff, as a child, dreamt of being a potter. Instead, Althoff fell into drawing, painting, and “making things.” But Leach’s influence remains. Icons, dolls, idols, and relics that represent the dead and the absent have become central to Althoff’s artistic language. He is deeply interested in the intricacies of faith, folklore, and spirituality, and often merges Eastern and Western influences, as did his Hong Kong-born inspiration. As Althoff often says, he wants “his painting to function ideally like one of Bernard Leach’s pots.” —E.C.
The Arts Intel Report
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
Kai Althoff Goes With Bernard Leach
When
Oct 7, 2020 – Jan 10, 2021
Where
77-82 Whitechapel High St, Shadwell, London E1 7QX, United Kingdom