ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in this book. The book argues that the influence of sculpture has brought about a profound change in ceramics practice; that as sculpture has evolved, moving from a specific set of processes and materials to an expanded range of activities, ceramics has echoed this change. Sculpture is a highly flexible discipline, and while it is no longer defined by a specific set of making processes, materials and forms, these traditional elements continue to underpin its visual and conceptual identity. Curatorial practice has mediated between ceramics and the public gaze, a mediation that is central to how perceptions of the discipline are shaped. Contemporary ceramics has emerged from the conservative laments of the 1980s, in which innovation in approach was seen as synonymous with a collapse in standards. Even when searching for the influence of sculpture on ceramics, it is impossible to ignore the centrality of the vessel.
