Rupert Spira was born in England in 1960 and studied ceramics at Wenford Bridge Pottery with Henry Hammond and later Michael Cardew. His initial works were influenced by Bernard Leach, and often took the form of functional vessels, such as vases and teapots. Although he continued to make practical items, on moving to Shropshire to set up his own studio in 1996 he developed a modern style for which he is now recognised.
Some of his most distinctive works combine his minimalist forms with his literary interest by adding poetry to his vessels, sometimes his own writings and also the poems of Kathleen Raine. The words are scratched into the clay or embossed using letters on a block or line across the vessel.
His works are held in public collections in the UK such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Sainsbury Centre, and internationally.
Artwork
