Ceramics have long been ingrained in the Mediterranean’s DNA. Now returning for its second edition, the Biennale of Contemporary Keramics, organised by Big Blue Dot, is being held on the island of Rhodes, Greece until the 31st of October. Artists from across the Mare Nostrum forge dynamic connections between ancient methods and contemporary techniques, helping to shape the region’s artistic landscape on an island where light, creation and legacy converge.
The Biennale travels across the Greek islands, drawing on each one’s distinct history, culture, mythology and identity. This year, Rhodes, the Island of the Sun, has the honour of hosting. Legend has it that Helios caused the island to rise from the sea and named it after his nymph lover, Rhodos; he filled it with eternal sunshine and served as its lifelong protector. In line with the title, Where the Day Starts, the symbolism of the sun represents a meeting point for new beginnings, transformation and connection: themes that form a through line in the curatorial framework.
Aiming to construct a new artistic vision in the Mediterranean, the Biennale takes shape across five archaeological sites within the Medieval City of Rhodes that are emblematic of the island’s cultural DNA: Armoury De Milly, Decorative Arts Collection of Rhodes, Our Lady of the Castle, Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, and Kleovoulou Square – Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. Visitors are invited to discover the island through a unique lens as they journey across the sites.
Over its five-month duration, BCK includes two artist residencies, three performances, seven lectures and presentations, one premiere film screening, two documentary screenings, three workshops, ten educational programmes for school and university students and educators, four guided tours within the Medieval City, and ten curated exhibition tours, alongside other activities for the public. Awards recognising key contributions to contemporary ceramic practice, with an emphasis on innovation, artistic research and contemporary cultural context, will also be presented.
The Biennale is curated by three women dedicated to presenting a historic art form in a contemporary light: Anissa Touati, Stamatia Dimitrakopoulos, and Loukia Thomopoulou. Their shared goal for this event is “to highlight both the ancient bonds and contemporary narratives that shape the region, opening space for new perspectives on the Mediterranean’s future.” For this, they’ve included a wide array of artists, including Etel Adnan, Darien Arikoski-Johnson, Mauro Fariñas, Malek Gnaoui, Myrsini Roumelioti, Lucille Uhlrich, Giorgos Vavatsis, Tülay Kulbay, Elina Belou, Jorge Cabieses-Valdes, Fatima Mohisen, Luke Edward Hall, and Ayla Tavares, among others.
Art forms evolve over time, passing between people from different places and with different ideas. Ceramics has been part of human history for centuries. Today, contemporary artists carry forward the torch their ancestors once held through a medium long used as a cultural and economic bridge across the shared heritage of Mediterranean countries.
Archeological Museum
Armoury De Milly
Decorative Arts Collection
Kleovoulos Square
Our Lady of the Castle