Into the Fire, from its conception, has been designed as a means of exploring the state of contemporary British ceramics and textiles; a way to spotlight those who have contributed to a rich artistic history, and celebrate those who have subverted it. In turn, the exhibition has posed an opportunity for the gallery to break new ground, broadening its reach from its usual program into new media left previously unexplored. 

What was found was an exciting and flourishing community of artists around the country who used many of the same materials, tools, and techniques to radically different effects, each bringing their own talents and visions to their work. Indeed, these practitioners range from emerging lights in the broader London art world to stalwarts of the British scene. However, from piece to piece, throughlines emerge: the same medial concerns echo from one to the next, while the materials’ malleability and versatility is exploited in comparable ways. In short, coherence reveals itself in the interstices of each practice, despite apparent aesthetic and practical disparities.