Kate Malone, one of the UK’s leading ceramic artists, has created a collection of new work reflecting the gardens and collections at Waddesdon Manor, the great Rothschild house in Buckinghamshire.

The exhibition features pieces inspired by the landscape, gardens, architecture and the people that have been a part of Waddesdon over the years, including Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the creator of Waddesdon and Alice, his sister and heir, who was a passionate horticulturalist as well a collector. Kate has also been particularly influenced by the wealth of decorative detail in the collections, including Waddesdon’s world-famous eighteenth century French Sèvres porcelain and the intricate passementerie (elaborate tassels, braids and fringing) that decorates many of the curtains and upholstery.

The exhibition forms part of the Contemporary at Waddesdon initiative, commissioning artists to respond to the place and its collections in innovative and inventive ways. Kate’s preparation included a research residency working with curators, archivists and gardeners to explore the collection, gardens and the archive at Waddesdon. A significant inspiration was the garden at Eythrope, nearby on the Waddesdon Estate, historically the home of Alice de Rothschild, and its recreated Victorian potager (kitchen garden). This is an exhibition that will appeal to anyone with a love of gardens, architecture and history and the ways in which places and people can influence artists. In addition to those interested in contemporary ceramics, the show is likely to have wider appeal due to Kate’s appearance as one of two expert judges on the BBC series The Great Pottery Throw Down.

Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0JH England | www.waddesdon.org.uk

Kate Malone: “I cover new ground in this exhibition by working with new clay-types and creative techniques. The show is a visual feast, bountiful ceramic sculptures that interpret many aspects of Waddesdon’s history. I’ve aimed to capture the very essence of Waddesdon through displaying a host of artworks which represent the land, farmers, builders, gardeners, and people who have worked and lived there.”

Adrian Sassoon: “Kate has been exceptionally busy creating her new collection of ceramic artwork for this landmark show. She has taken a broad view of Waddesdon through time, reacting to the place and people who have inspired her. The range of work is astounding, from simple terracotta jugs embossed with agricultural symbolism to elaborate, heavily detailed porcelain sculptures referencing the grand architecture of Waddesdon, to magnificent pumpkins, glazed in wonderful autumnal tones – the show promises to impress and delight.”

Pippa Shirley, Head of Collections at Waddesdon: “This is a really exciting collaboration for us, working with a major ceramic artist in a material for which the collections at the Manor are famous. Waddesdon is all about depth and detail, and in approaching this project, Kate has explored our collections and history from both perspectives to create something both new and rooted in the place. It also builds on a programme of creative responses to Waddesdon from contemporary artists in an innovative and rigorous way.”