Yann-Pierre Montelle is an anthropologist, lecturer, and potter from New Zealand whose most recent work sits at the intersection of deep human history and the existential challenges of the Anthropocene. His scholarship is animated by a conviction that the most reliable answers to the crises ahead of us may already exist - not in the laboratories of the future, but in the workshops of the past. Over the past five years, Yann-Pierre has travelled extensively across the Indian subcontinent, meeting and interviewing traditional potters in an effort to understand an ancestral craft that he believes offers valuable insights into the forms of sustainability demanded by today's climatic, economic, and social transformations. Through these encounters, he seeks to uncover not only the technical knowledge embedded in centuries-old pottery traditions, but also the ways of living and making that may help shape a more resilient future.

Balakrishna Vallepu is the ceramic artist behind Yogam Pottery. His practice explores memory, language, identity, and cultural inheritance through clay. Drawing from his experiences of living in India and Germany, he is interested in how language, objects, and traditions are shaped by place, culture, and time. Alongside his studio practice, he has been teaching pottery for several years through courses and workshops that encourage curiosity, experimentation, and a deeper connection with clay.

Dr Natasha Mayo is an artist, researcher and senior lecturer ceramics at Cardiff School of Art and Design. Her practice is fueled by an interest in approaches that move between social, technical as well as creative ways of working, leading her to compile a contemporary occupational folklore surrounding the discipline of ceramics. She is an HEA fellow, member of the Royal Anthropology Institute, the Folklore Society and trained in oral history techniques. 

In practice, she retraces her own family folklore through indexical and intended imagery that weaves across generations, viewing creativity as a social tool able to strengthen relationships and sense of belonging.

Sadhvi Thukral is a ceramic artist, designer, educator, and founder of Off Centre by Sadhvi, a contemporary ceramic studio creating handcrafted functional ware, jewellery, home décor, and lifestyle objects. A postgraduate in Ceramic & Glass Design from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, her practice combines design thinking with inclusive and socially engaged design. She developed Kahani Her Mahine Ki, a menstrual kit for women with visual impairments, and has explored clay as a therapeutic medium with the Blind People's Association. Through her studio, she trains individuals, including differently abled individuals from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, fostering craftsmanship, creativity, and inclusion.

Mzwanele Tshishonga is a South African ceramist, researcher, and educator from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. His practice explores African sculptural traditions through clay, examining its roles in healing, spirituality, memory, and indigenous knowledge systems. He recently completed an MFA at the University of the Witwatersrand, where his research investigated ancestral dreamscapes as sites of knowledge production. A Canon Collins Scholar, Tierney Fellow, and alumnus of the Market Photo Workshop, Tshishonga works across sculpture, photography, and writing to recentre African epistemologies and foster dialogue on heritage, material culture, and contemporary ceramic practice.

Ritika Anand is a contemporary ceramic artist whose practice investigates the
interconnected systems of nature through organic forms, fractal patterns, and material
transformation. Inspired by the relationships between life, landscape, and growth, she
creates abstract sculptures and installations that evoke familiarity while inviting
multiple interpretations. Working primarily with clay, complemented by glass, wire, and
brass, her works explore texture, light, and the evolving dialogue between materials.
Through her practice, she encourages viewers to reconnect with the natural world and
reflect on themes of belonging, transformation, and renewal. Ritika holds an M.F.A.
from Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan, and a B.F.A. from Kalakshetra
Foundation, Chennai. She is the recipient of the Hyundai Art for Hope Grant (2025–26),
the Ministry of Culture’s Young Artist Scholarship, and several national awards in
ceramics and fine arts. Her works have been exhibited extensively across India and
internationally in Romania, Indonesia, and China, including her solo exhibition The
Poetry of Bloom at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, in 2025.

Shreya Kumari Kedia is a recent graduate and designer trained in ceramics and glass design from NID Ahmedabad, whose practice explores the intersections of craft, material culture, and social impact. Her personal creations are rooted in exploration and whimsy, often expressed through ceramic and glass-based practices that engage with contemporary interpretations of traditional making processes. Through research-led projects, she engages with artisans and communities to explore how design can preserve cultural knowledge while creating meaningful opportunities for livelihood and expression. Her project Mitti Sung documents a ceramic training initiative within prisons, examining clay as a medium for learning, dignity, and transformation. She is interested in building design practices rooted in empathy, material experimentation, and long-term social engagement.