University of Westminster logo

Nigel Wood

Prof. Nigel Wood

 

POSITION

 

  • Professor Ceramics

 

         Book cover

 

BIOGRAPHY
 

Professor Nigel Wood, PhD, has been an active researcher into the history and technology of ceramics since the late 1970s, specialising in Far Eastern wares. He trained at the WSCAD Farnham, and in traditional English country potteries. From 1973-84 he worked full-time making stoneware, terra-cotta and porcelain at his own workshop in Hampshire.

He has taught variously at Central St Martins, London, Sotheby’s Educational Studies, The Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, and at universities in Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the USA. Since 1989 he has taught part-time at the Royal College of Art, where he is now a Visiting Tutor, supervising research students in ceramics. In 2002 he became an Honorary FRCA, and an FRSA in 2003.

He joined the University of Westminster in 1995 and became a professor in 2003. In 1997 he was appointed as a Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford University, where he is now an Honorary Research Associate. In 2000 he was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship by the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, and from 1997 to 2004 he worked as a researcher and author for the Needham Research Institute, Cambridge. His two major books, Science and Civilisation in China Vol. V part 12 (2004, co-written with Ms Rose Kerr), and Chinese Glazes (1999 & 2007) were rated ‘Outstanding Academic Titles’ by Choice magazine.

 

RESEARCH AREA
 
'My prime research interests have been in the technology and history of East Asian ceramics, glass, and cast-bronze, often in collaboration with national museums. An important aspect of this work has been relating the geological history of East Asia to its ceramic and bronze production. A major recent project has been the research for, and the writing of, Joseph Needham: Science and Civilisation in China Volume 5, part 12: Ceramic Technology in collaboration with Ms Rose Kerr (CUP 2004, 920 pp). Another recent study has concerned analysis of 9th C AD blue and white wares from Basra (lower Iraq), and their comparison with 8th C blue and white sancai wares made in China. Current research at Oxford concerns the use of cobalt ores throughout history, in both the fine and the applied arts; the influence of Chinese ceramics on Iraqi wares of the 9th C AD; and understanding the effects of deforestation on China’s medieval ceramics industries.‘
         
                 N.Wood
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
 
Books
  • Wood, N., 2007, Chinese Glazes – their Chemistry, Origins and Re-creation. A & C Black, London, and University of Pennsylvania Press, USA.
  • Kerr, R. & Wood, N., 2004. Joseph Needham : Science and Civilisation in China,  Volume 5 Chemistry and Chemical Technology : Part 12 – Ceramic Technology. Kerr, R., ed., with contributions from Ts’ai Mei-Fen and Zhang Fukang, Cambridge University Press.

 

Papers

  • Wood, N., Tite, M., Doherty C., & Gilmour, B., 2007. 'A technological examination of ninth-tenth century AD Abbasid blue-and-white wares from Iraq, and their comparison with eighth century AD Chinese blue-and-white sancai wares.' Archaeometry. Oxford. 49:4

  • Wood, N., 2006. ‘The technology of Korean celadon wares.' Chapter in Korean Art from the Gompertz and Other Collections in the Fitzwilliam Museum. Krahl, R., ed., Cambridge University Press

  • Wood, N., 2006, 'A Pioneer in Porcelain’ (William Cookworthy), Ceramic Review, London, 217.

  • Wood, N., 2006 'Cuire au bois en Chine (1)’, La Revue de la Céramique et du Verre, Vendin-le-Viell. (Jan.-Fev.), and ‘Cuire au bois en Chine (2)’, (Mars-Avril).

  • Wood, N., Doherty, C., & Rastelli, S., 2005, 'Some aspects of Yue ware production at Shanglinhu in the late Tang dynasty.', Gu Taoci Kexue Jishu 6: ISAC ’05. Shanghai 2005.

  • Tite., M., & Wood, N., 2005,  'The technological relationship between Islamic and Chinese glazed ceramics prior to the 16th century AD.', Taoci no 4. Revue Annuelle de la Société française d’Étude de la Céramique orientale, Paris. 

  • Wood, N., Rastelli, S., & Doherty, C., 2004. ‘Zaoqi Yaozhou qingci he Nansong Laohudong yaode jishu guangxi.’ Proceedings of the International Conference of Southern Song Dynasty Official Ware (Guan Ware) of Laohudong Kiln, Hangzhou. University of Zhejiang Press. Hangzhou, China.

  • Wood, N., Rastelli, S., & Doherty, C., 2004, ‘Five Dynasties Yaozhou Celadon – a True Ancestor to Laohudong Guan Ware?’.Percival David Foundation Colloquy on Art & Archaeology in Asia No. 22, Song Ceramics: Art, History, Archaeology and Technology. University of London

  • Wood, N., 2003, ‘A Handful of Dust – interpreting the past through ceramics analysis.' Ceramics Technical, 17, Paddington, Australia

  • Wood, N., 2002, ‘Lucie Rie no Sozai to Gihou.’ (Lucie Rie’s ceramics – materials and methods.). 100th anniversary exhibition of Lucie Rie’s birth: - Sietan 100nen Kinen Lucie Rie ten – Seijaku no Bi e. Shigaraki Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Japan. (In Japanese and English).

  • Wood, N., Borgio, L., & Kerr, R., 2002, ‘An evaluation of the composition and production processes of Chinese “Robin’s Egg” glazes.’ Gu Taoci Kexue Jishu 5: ISAC ’02, Shanghai 2002

  • Wood, N., 2001, ‘The influence of glass technology on Chinese ceramics.’ The International Ceramic Fairs and Seminar 2001. London

AWARDS
 
  • Funding for work on the Science and Civilisation in China Volume).Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation, Taiwan, 1998.
  • Senior Research Fellowship from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust (2000-2001)
 
PhD SUPERVISION
 
  • Research supervisor at the Royal College of Art, London. All candidates completed successfully (2 MPhil’s and 2 PhDs).
  • Examined 1 PhD at the University of Queensland, Australia, (Dr Li Baoping)
 
 
 
The University of Westminster is a charity and a company limited by guarantee.
Registration number: 977818 England. Registered Office: 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW.
Disclaimer