It was shuffling room only at last Friday’s opening of the SURFACE 2026 North Coast Ceramic Art Awards at the Civic Art Space and the Mullumbimby Civic Centre Hall.
Far from a quiet gallery opening, the night was a high-energy celebration of Australian ceramics that refuse to stay in a box, showcasing everything from ‘bizarre’ conceptual juxtapositions to raw, iconoclastic sculptures.
‘This year, the award transitioned to its new identity – SURFACE – stripping away restrictive themes to give artists the radical freedom to experiment with form, texture, and the elemental power of clay,’ organiser and ceramacist Suvira MacDonald told The Echo.
Winners
The $3,000 Excellence Prize was awarded to Sandy Lockwood and the Emerging Artist Prize went to Aleesha Darke.
‘This is a “slow burn” exhibition for a community that values the handmade and the authentic. Whether you are drawn to delicate porcelain or rough-hewn stone, SURFACE 2026 offers a defiant look at how we shape our world,’ said Suvira.
The exhibition runs daily until Sunday, 1 February 10am to 4pm.
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