MMXX is a collaboration between Francesca Vendramin (ceramicist, FV/Ceramics Studio) & Stephen Dow (printmaker, heraldblack). 

Francesca, from Italy, trained at Central Saint Martins (BA Hons) while Stephen is from Ireland and graduated from the Belfast School of Art. 

Their work is influenced by a shared appreciation of Brutalist architecture which is reflected in their collaboration’s working name, MMXX, a reference to two artists making in the year 2020 and the practice of dating architecture with the year it is built. 

Their ceramics were developed and made in 2020-21 at the studio run by Francesca in South West London. Using sheets of red clay, they constructed standing sculptures and wall mounted tiles. The clay is carved, textured and embossed to reflect structure and material qualities present in Brutalist architecture. The surface is treated with washes of metal oxides, painted with slips and a simple palette of tin and transparent glazes. All work is fired in an electric kiln at 1080°c