State of Ceramics is an ongoing series of discussions centered around evaluating the present and future of the ceramics field. Participants are encouraged to share their unique perspectives and voices during these open and inclusive dialogues. This is an opportunity for us to take responsibility for how our field is shaped.
Each State of Ceramics discussion is led by different ceramic artists and is prompted by specific, unanswered questions they have about the shifting dynamics of contemporary ceramics. These collective conversations are geared towards evaluating the current state of the field, expanding possibilities, and building community as we move through this process.
These online discussions are free and open to the public—the clay community and the clay curious—and are informal, open, and democratic spaces where participants are encouraged to share their unique perspectives and voices. State of Ceramics are not lectures or panel discussions; they are inclusive, video-on events where everyone present is an equal participant in collective criticality and research. This programming is currently globally accessible via Zoom.
All State of Ceramics contribute to an
that can be used in studios, in classrooms, at dinner tables, or anywhere folks enjoy engaging in critical dialogue about clay.
Power Dynamics : When does Social Practice Patron or Patronize?
With Javier Espinosa Momox
November 7, 2026
Is it possible to invert or remove hierarchical structures from artistic social practice? After all, it’s rare that all participants are viewed as equal contributors. Most often, it’s a ladder: an institution supports an individual artist; an artist facilitates a project; a particular community is the crux of a project.
How often do the narratives, projects, and institutions that are intended to support a specific community instead inadvertently obscure them? Communities and individuals are romanticized or mythologized; artists transform themselves from artist to activist to savior; and patronage becomes patronizing.
Can these hierarchical structures be counter-leveraged for personal and communal empowerment? In this State of Ceramics, we consider who gets the spotlight in socially engaged projects and how to create equitable and productive visibility for all participants. Javier Espinosa Momóx’s ongoing ceramics project Herencia Means Heritage, which highlights the history and labor of traditional Mexican Talavera artisans, will be used as a case study to underpin our conversation.
State of Ceramics events have always been free to the public because we believe in making expanded ceramics education as widely accessible as possible. Although we do not charge for attendance, we rely upon donations to sustain the extensive time and labor that is put into planning and executing these programs. We value this two-day State of Ceramics event at $50 and appreciate donations of any amount from those who can afford to contribute.
