Context and Introduction
Forty years of existence is a remarkable milestone for any gallery, but for a gallery operating within the niche of contemporary ceramics, it is truly exceptional. This calls for a celebration on a grand scale. Galerie Terra Delft marks this anniversary with an ambitious international exhibition, bringing together ceramic works from around the world. This initiative is supported in part by the Stichting Keramiek Promotie Delft (SKPD - Foundation for the Promotion of Ceramics in Delft).
A World of Ceramics
From 23 May to 4 July 2026, Galerie Terra Delft will present a large-scale exhibition in the Oude Kerk in Delft, bringing together ceramic works from five continents. Figurative or abstract, large or small, sculptural or functional—the exhibition highlights the versatility of contemporary ceramics. Despite the diversity of styles, techniques, and cultural backgrounds, the exhibition reveals how much we share as humanity, even across geographical and cultural differences.
Simone Haak has been appointed curator of the exhibition Common Ground. She has extensive experience in creating exhibitions, and her knowledge of contemporary ceramics is widely regarded as unparalleled. Her forty years of experience as the gallery owner of the Netherlands’ leading ceramics gallery is an invaluable asset. Haak maintains long-standing relationships with ceramic artists worldwide and is responsible for the artistic quality of both the selected artists and the exhibition’s spatial design and overall concept.
The participating artists have been carefully selected on the basis of originality, craftsmanship, diversity, and mutual coherence. The selection includes artists who have previously exhibited at Galerie Terra Delft, as well as contacts established through international art fairs, the International Academy of Ceramics, and artist-in-residence programs—including those in Jingdezhen (China), the renowned porcelain city where ceramic artists from around the world converge. Since its first collaboration with Jingdezhen in 2012, the gallery has significantly expanded its international network, now resulting in a global selection of leading ceramic artists.
For this anniversary edition, eight artists have been invited to participate. By deliberately limiting the number of participants, sufficient space is created to present each artist’s work in depth and in dialogue with the whole. This allows for the presentation of individual installations, enabling each artist’s personal narrative and artistic signature to emerge more strongly. Common Ground seeks its answers in art and clay. Eight artists from different continents each present a distinct installation—each of which can also be experienced as a solo exhibition—together forming a powerful and cohesive whole.
Our aim is to create an exhibition that does not merely present, but truly resonates—an experience that engages visitors both visually and emotionally. Rather than displaying a collection of small objects on pedestals, the exhibition features spatial installations that render the artistic narratives tangible and invite the audience into a profound encounter with the envisioned world. Several of the invited artists will travel to the Netherlands to realize parts of their work on site, entering into direct dialogue with the space and its context.
As the gallery itself does not offer sufficient space for this international presentation, collaboration with the Oude Kerk Delft has once again been chosen, as with previous large-scale exhibitions. This monumental location, situated in the historic city center and within walking distance of the gallery, provides an exceptional and fitting setting for this special exhibition.
Why a Global Exhibition?
Ceramics is a universal medium. Since humans first began shaping clay, both functional objects and decorative works have been created all over the world. Forms, techniques, and surface decorations were developed, repeated, shared, and reinvented over centuries—across different continents and within diverse cultures. Consider, for example, the decorative vessels from Majiayao (China, approximately 5,000 years ago), which show striking similarities to early Etruscan, African, or Inca ceramics. Such parallels demonstrate how ceramics connect humanity across time and place..
Common Ground
Clay is more than just a material; it is shared earth—common ground—that has brought people together across centuries. Ceramics—fired clay—thus becomes not only a tangible object, but also a metaphor and a means of connection. What connects people in a world that so often appears divided?
This sense of connection lies at the heart of this anniversary exhibition. By bringing together contemporary ceramic works from around the globe, we aim to reveal the universal nature of clay—as a medium that carries culture as well as an art form in its own right. Ceramics engages with both the everyday and the monumental: from bowls to sculptures and architectural applications. Art connects, and ceramics does so in a particularly immediate and tangible way.
Ceramics as a Unifying Force in a Divided World
In a time when war, conflict, and division dominate the global stage, humanity searches for what still connects us. Ceramics is such a quiet yet powerful unifier. From clay—the earth itself—emerge forms that transcend the boundaries of language, culture, and politics. Every vessel, bowl, or sculpture carries the story of its maker, but also echoes centuries-old traditions found across the world.
A Global Dialogue in Clay
This exhibition in Delft brings together the work of eight artists from five continents. Their backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences may differ, yet in clay they find a common language. The shapes and textures reflect both personal narratives and universal themes: hope, loss, resilience, and human connection.
In the hands of these makers, ceramics becomes a silent diplomat. It invites us to look, to touch, to understand. Within each object lies the reminder that we all share the same earth—the clay that literally binds us together. Especially in times of conflict, this exhibition demonstrates that there is always room for dialogue. Art, like clay itself, is malleable and capable of building bridges. And within the fragility of fired earth often lies its greatest strength.
Despite the diversity of styles and backgrounds, the artists share a profound engagement with pressing contemporary issues such as war, climate change, and migration. Through their work with clay—the most elemental and universal of materials—Common Ground becomes not only an exhibition but also a dream, a wish, and a promise for the future: a future in which we have more in common than what divides us.
Common Ground invites visitors to become part of this story—a story that shows how art, especially in these unsettled times, can bring hope and foster connection.
Asia China: Li Zhen
India: Prithwiraj Mali
Africa Nigeria: Adeoti Azeez Afeez
Europe UK: Katharine Morling
Netherlands: Mariëtte van der Ven
North America Canada: Eliza Au
South America Chile: Keka Ruiz-Tagle
Oceania Australia: Mahala Hill
Five artists—Adeoti Azeez Afeez (Nigeria), Prithwiraj Mali (India), Keka Ruiz (Chile), Li Zhen (China), and Mahala Hill (Australia)—are traveling to the Netherlands specifically to create their work on site.
The works of Katharine Morling and Mariëtte van der Ven will be brought to the exhibition by the artists themselves, while the remaining participant, Eliza Au, will send her work in advance.
All participating artists will be present at the opening.
Collaboration and Education
We actively cultivate partnerships both within Delft and beyond, collaborating with cultural entrepreneurs in the city as well as with art education institutions. The international artists coming to the Netherlands will also offer workshops and lectures, sharing their knowledge, experience, and inspiration not only at the exhibitions in the Oude Kerk, but also at other venues across the country.
Prithwiraj Mali from India and Adeoti Azeez Afeez from Nigeria will work for six weeks starting in early April 2026 at the Appel & Peer studio of Pim van den Akker and Lotte de Vries on Vulcanusweg in Delft. At the Cultuurhuis Delft, they will give workshops for the residents of Buitenhof.
Mahala Hill from Australia and Keka Ruiz from Chile will work in the Claytime Studio of Carina de Walle in Delft, while Li Zhen from China will work in the studio of Galerie Terra Delft.
About Galerie Terra Delft - An International Platform for Contemporary Ceramics
Since its founding in 1986, Galerie Terra Delft has grown into a leading platform for contemporary ceramics. Established by Simone Haak and Joke Doedens, the gallery presents a carefully curated exhibition program alongside a permanent collection, providing a stage for both renowned and emerging artists from the Netherlands and abroad.
The collection spans the full spectrum of ceramics, from refined functional objects to free-form, monumental sculptures. Through nearly forty years of dedication, Terra Delft has built an international reputation as a meeting place for artists, collectors, and enthusiasts alike.
With an accessible, comprehensive website and regular participation in international events, the gallery continues to bridge Delft—a city with a rich ceramic tradition—and the wider world. This commitment was recognized in 2016 with the Municipal Medal of Delft and in 2024 with the prestigious Van Achterbergh Prize, honoring the gallery’s tireless passion, energy, and perseverance in promoting ceramic art.
Galerie Terra Delft is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) and remains dedicated to fostering dialogue between artists and audiences, both locally and globally.
Advisory Committee
· Alexander Pechtold, Mayor of Delft
· Jeanelle Moerman, Director of Museum Prinsenhof Delft
· Geertje Jacobs, Director of the European Ceramic Work Centre (EKWC), Oisterwijk
· Carolein Smit, Visual Artist
· Theo Jansen, Visual Artist
About the Foundation for the Promotion of Ceramics in Delft (SKPD)
Delft and ceramics are inseparable. The Stichting Keramiek Promotie Delft (SKPD) is dedicated to keeping this centuries-old bond alive while giving it a new impulse. Through exhibitions, events, and educational activities, SKPD brings ceramics to the attention of a broad audience.
The foundation connects local and international artists, making Delft a meeting place for ceramic enthusiasts from around the world. Clay is more than a material—it is a universal language that tells stories and brings people together.
With a small but passionate team, and in collaboration with partners such as Galerie Terra Delft, museums, and cultural organizations, SKPD creates platforms where stories in clay can take shape and be shared.
Current Board:
- Bert van Meggelen, Chair
- Stef Breukel, Treasurer
- Hans Doets, Treasurer
- Rosemarie Willems
The foundation supports a variety of projects and initiatives, including:
- National Ceramic award De Kei – a biennial ceramics award
- Delft Ceramics Days – an annual ceramics festival
- International exhibitions and exchange projects
Thanks to this collaborative network of gallery and foundation, this international exhibition has become possible.
SKPD holds ANBI status, recognizing it as a public benefit organization.
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Stichting Keramiek Promotie Delft |
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