A Ripple Through Time: Ceramics then and now

An interdisciplinary conversation: when our hands meet clay, do we simply shape materials – or do materials also shape the way we think? What happens when our hands meet clay? Do we simply shape materials – or do materials also shape the way we think, remember and experience the world? An interdisciplinary conversation bringing together art, archaeology, science and Polish ceramic heritage, featuring: Alicja Patanowska – artist and designer, Wrocław Professor Lambros Malafouris – University of Oxford Dr Joanna Bagniewska – University of Oxford, moderator and a representative of Bolesławiec ceramics, the Polish town famed for its distinctive hand-stamped pottery Taking Alicja Patanowska’s The Ripple Effect as a starting point, the conversation will explore making, materials, memory, ceramics and the relationship between people and objects. Part of Hevelius Project 2026: Stars, Water & Earth, connecting Oxford and Wrocław – Oxford’s twin city in Poland. Organised by Oxford Polish Association, in partnership with IF Oxford, Polish Cultural Institute in London, Bodleian Libraries and the Polish ceramic company Bolesławiec, and Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London. Ticketing: Pay What You Decide (PWYD) Event format: PERFORMANCE Event duration: 1 hour Age: All ages Event start: 6pm ................................................... IF Oxford uses Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing, which means you can choose to pay whatever you want — or can afford. You can make your donation during booking, at the event, or afterwards. Please note that there is a free ticket option for this event. To make a PWYD booking, book 1 PWYD ticket for the group, then add extra FREE tickets for the rest of your party. This means there is only one donation for the whole group — you choose what to pay within the PWYD booking. This process is needed because Eventbrite treats a single PWYD ticket as the donation for the whole group — the PWYD ticket covers the donation (one ticket), and FREE tickets cover the rest of your party. We suggest a donation of £7.50 per person. If even half of IF Oxford's visitors gave that, the charity could plan next year's community science and ideas Festival with confidence. If you decide another amount works better for you, please give that instead — every contribution helps keep the Festival free at the point of entry for everyone who needs it to be — the most important thing is that we can all enjoy a good Festival together, thank you. All ticket options offer the same access. The contribution associated with this ticket is considered a donation in support of the Festival. Please choose the amount that feels right for you. Please arrive at least ten minutes before the start. Unclaimed places are released at the start to people waiting at the door, and entry may be refused once the event has begun. If you do not have a ticket, it is worth coming along — booked-up events often have space on the day. Ages are a guide only, under-16s to be accompanied by a responsible adult. The Festival reserves the right to modify event formats and manage the audience in accordance with the Festival's Attendance Policy: if-oxford.com/attendance-policy IF Oxford is run by The Oxfordshire Science Festival (charity #1151361). Any voluntary donation you make may be eligible for Gift Aid, where a charity can claim back an extra 25% of your donation at no cost to you: if-oxford.com/donate