Artist's Statement

Current Work

Exotic Porcelain decorative and serving dishes

Work Available from:
Contemporary Ceramics, London
Contemporary Applied Arts, London
The Gallery at Bevere, Worcestershire

Technical Information

I mix 2% paper fibre in Limoges Porcelain and manipulate it while very wet, as if forming with velvet, allowing it to create soft folds as I ‘sew’ thrown and slab-built components together to create flowing forms. Feet and handles are often pulled separately and added on at ‘leather-hard’ stage.

I biscuit fire slowly (22-24 hours) to 1000c. A transparent glaze is thickly applied and fluid coloured glazes are then strategically brushed onto it. During the glaze firing (1260c, oxidation) the pots are suspended above the kiln shelf using wadding clay or ceramic blanket, and balanced over porcelain setters. The glazes run into each other, pool in the folds of clay, drip off feet and edges, and so, accentuate the sense of overflowing plenty.

History and Background

I was born in Israel and having completed a BA in History of Art and English Literature at the Hebrew University, came to England to study ceramics.
I became deeply interested in functional domestic ware during the HND Ceramic Design course at Harrow College. For many years I have been making tableware for every day use.
Following my MA studies at the Royal College of Art, I am currently continuing to develop a range of ceremonial serving dishes for special occasions.

Education: 
2005 - 2006  ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence).
2001 - 2004  MA Ceramics and Glass. The Royal college of Art.
1984 - 1986  BTEC HND Ceramic Design. Harrow College of Higher Education.
1976 - 1981  BA History of Art & English Literature. Hebrew University, Israel.

Employment:
2004  Present Re-started my pottery workshop, producing new work.
1999  Present Part-time Pottery Tutor, Community Education Lewisham, London.
2007  2008 Visiting Lecturer, Central St Martin’s college of Art, London.
2006  Visiting lecturer, Buckingham Chilterns University College.
2006  Visiting Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire.
2004  Visiting lecturer, Buckingham Chilterns University College.
1995 - 1997  Visiting lecturer, School of Design & Media, University of Westminster.
1986 - 2001  Set up and worked in my own pottery workshop in London.

Membership
2006 - Present  Member of Contemporary Applied Arts.
1997 - Present  Fellow of The Craft Potters Association.

Exhibition Curation
1996  Dining Rites, Primavera, Cambridge.

Awards

Exhibitions

2010  'Home', The New School House Gallery, York.
2010  Ceramic Art London 2010, Royal College of Art, London.
2009  The Domestic Interior, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
2008  Eat Drink and Be Merry, Llantarnam Grange Art Centre, Wales.
2008  Christmas Show’, Bettles Gallery, Ringwood, Hampshire.
2008  Origin 2008, Somerset House, London.
2008  Ceramic Art London, Royal College of Art, London.
2007  A Seasonal Exhibition, Bettles Gallery, Ringwood, Hampshire
2007  The Power of Pots, Royal College of Art, London.
2006  Take Me Home, Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
2006  What A Dish, contemporary Ceramics, London.
2006  Ceramic Art London, Royal College of art, London.
2005  Ceramic Art London, Royal College of Art, London.
2005  Blind Art, Royal College of Art, London.
2005  Setting Out - Contemporary Ceramics, London.
2004  The Show: One - Royal College of Art, London.
2003  Ten to One, Canary Wharf - Canada Square, London.

One Woman Show
August 2006  ‘Summer Exhibition’, The Gallery at Bevere, Worcestershire.

Publications

2005  Bendavid, K, Dinner Party Politics, Ceramic Review 216, pp 40-45
2000  Ben-David, K, Consuming Craft – International Conference, in ‘Awayday’, Ceramic Review 185, p.54.
1996  Ben-David, K., The Maker. Dining Rites. Call Printers, 1996.
1989  Ben-David, K., On Being A Student At Harrow. The Harrow Connection, England: Ceolfrith Press. Northern Centre For Contemporary Art.

Features

2008  The Ceramics Book, Ceramic Review Publishing Ltd, p. 20
2007  Artist of the month, AIR e-Bulletin-May.
2006  Ceramic Review 218, p.19.
2006  The Ceramics Book, Ceramic Review Publishing Ltd, p. 21
2005  Crafts Magazine No.196, P.70
2005  Ceramic Review 211, p. 44.
2004  www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective, David Hilton, 04 Degree Shows.
2003  Rector’s Review, 2002/2003, Royal college of Art, p.6.
2002  Mattison, S. The complete Potter, Quarto Publishing Plc.
2001  Mattison, S. The Potter’s Guide to Ceramic Surfaces, Quarto Publishing Plc.
1999  The Food Programme – BBC Radio Four.
1998  French, N. The Potter’s Dictionary of Shape and Form, Quattro Inc.