Book Launch: 'William Cobbing: Social Substance'

To celebrate the launch of William Cobbing’s new book ‘Social Substance’, the artist will be in conversation with The Burton at Bideford’s Director Harriet Cooper. The discussion will offer an insight into William’s creative process and recent work, followed by audience questions and a book signing.

‘William Cobbing: Social Substance’ is published in 2025, designed by Fraser Muggeridge Studio. The book explores his practice and the social materiality of clay, with new texts by Jennifer Lucy Allan, Petra Lange-Berndt, Darren Pih, Francis Ponge’s ‘Unfinished Ode to Mud’ and a conversation with Clare Twomey.

This event accompanies the solo exhibition ‘William Cobbing: Despised mud, I love you’ from 11 October 2025 – 10 January 2026. The performance ‘So You’ will take place from 2pm and is free to drop-in.

Biography:

William studied sculpture at Central St Martins, De Ateliers, and a PhD at Middlesex University. Recent solo exhibitions include Inner Horizon at Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, USA; Janus Seasons at Selfridges, London, UK; and Social Substance at Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. His work has been exhibited in group exhibitions internationally and is represented in collections including the Arts Council Collection, the Wellcome Trust and Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University. In 2021 he was awarded a residency at the European Ceramic Work Centre in The Netherlands and was awarded the Norma Lipman Artist Residency at Newcastle University in 2013.

Time

3.15pm-4.15pm

Location

The Burton at Bideford

Who is this event for?

Suitable for all.

How to book

Call the gallery on 01237 471455 or book via Eventbrite. Please note that bookings via Eventbrite incur a booking fee. If Eventbrite is showing the event as sold out please call the gallery as there may still be spaces.

Concessionary rates

Concessionary rates need to be booked directly through the gallery either in person or by calling 01237 471455.

Cancellations and refunds

Tickets cancelled with less than five days’ notice are non-refundable. An Eventbrite admin fee will be automatically deducted for workshops cancelled with more than five days’ notice.

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Car parking

This workshop takes place at The Burton at Bideford. We are situated on the edge of Victoria Park in Bideford, next to a Torridge District Council-owned car park where charges apply. For more details on parking in Bideford, visit the Torridge District Council website.

Image: Will.je.suis (2020) by William Cobbing © the artist

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