Published date: 04 August 2021
Local Folkestone health centre hosts latest works by acclaimed ceramic artist
Eagle-eyed Folkestone residents may have spotted some exciting new additions to the local Folkestone Health Centre in Kent, as celebrated British ceramic artist Stephanie Bergman has chosen the building as the main site for her latest art installation as part of the town’s Creative Folkestone Triennial 2021 Exhibition.
Fans of the internationally acclaimed artist can catch a glimpse of her latest work on the side of the Folkestone Health Centre on Dover Road. The health centre is the perfect platform to showcase her newest pill-shaped ceramic creations, as they celebrate Folkestone born physician William Harvey who discovered the circulation of blood. Harvey was born less than a quarter of a mile away from the health centre on Dover Street, making the area an important part of the physician’s life.
NHS Property Services who owns Folkestone Health Centre say that they are thrilled to be part of this exciting art exhibition that explores the rich history of the town. “The Folkestone Health Centre is a much-loved part of the community, and it is fitting that this location has been chosen to tell the important tale of one of our most influential residents, William Harvey. We welcome the opportunity to support the art festival and hope that Folkestone residents will enjoy the eye-catching pieces on show here in the heart of their community.”
The ceramic artworks include “Packet Aspirin” and “Purple and White Pill” and will be on show during the Triennial Exhibition that takes place from 22 July until 2 November. Speaking from her home in Morocco, Bergman – renowned for her angular designs - says that she was excited at the prospect of creating curvy, rounded art: “Looking at pills I found so many different shapes and colours. I made each one by hand using the coil method of construction and finishing them off with a knife. With clay, you have to be very patient as the object has to dry out for a week, and then get fired in the kiln at least twice, which takes 36 hours for each firing. Even though working with clay seems very immediate and spontaneous you need a lot of patience for the final result.”
About the Triennial
The Folkestone Triennial is one of the UK’s most ambitious art exhibitions and features 23 major new public artworks across the coastal town created by internationally acclaimed artists. It invites residents and visitors to Folkestone to explore the town and its urban tales with a focus on the passages of movement – the movement of water, blood and goods. The exhibition will present artworks in public spaces across the town, along the routes associated with these stories.
About Stephenie Bergman
Stephenie Bergman (b. 1946, England) is recognised internationally for her ceramic sculptures whose forms are grounded in everyday functionality. For the Triennial, she is contributing sculptures that play on the forms we associate with medicine – from pills to organs, veins and arteries. Some of her sculptures will adorn the Folkestone Health Centre and others will be strategically placed on the underappreciated ancient stepped pathways around the town.
Bergman’s work is held in numerous public and private collections, including Tate, British Council, Arts Council and the British Government Art Collection. Bergman recently installed two sculptures at the Maggie’s Centre, Sutton designed by Ab Rogers. Bergman currently lives and works in Taroudant, Morocco and Ollioules, France.
