Alfred Lowe's joyful ceramics examine landscape and identity

For Wallpaper*s 2024 Next Generation issue, we have rounded-up a hotlist of emerging design talent from around the world, shining a light on the newcomers paving the present and forging the future. Join us on our journey to meet ten designers from Adelaide, Tokyo, London, Lagos, Guatemala City, Mexico City, Loch Lomond, New York and Paris. Welcome to our ascending stars of 2025.

Emerging designer Alfred Lowe, Adelaide

Lowe is an Arrernte person from Snake Well, near Alice Springs, where he grew up before moving to Adelaide for university. His work now sits in private collections and public galleries and, last year, he was awarded the Shelley Simpson Ceramics Prize by the founder of Mud Australia.

Wallpaper*: How did you settle on ceramics as your calling?
Alfred Lowe: I didn’t mean to become an artist. After graduating, I worked in politics and it was Covid that made me take a break. I went to visit a friend who was working at the APY Art Centre Collective and found some pre-made ceramic forms, which I played around with and everything suddenly fell into place. In retrospect, I realise I’ve always been drawn to ceramics.

W*: What motivates your work?
AL:My primary influences are landscape and identity. I grew up surrounded by desert and mountains. I’ve never been interested in painting landscapes. It feels voyeuristic, as if you’re not standing in the countryside you’re depicting, but are removed from it. I think of people and landscape intertwined together; each influences the other, and I examine this in my work.

W*: How do you describe your work?
AL: I like to play with the idea of self and how we express ourselves. I’m a big person, and an important part of my work is reclaiming space, taking up room and being proud of that. I didn’t set out to make work that feels joyful, but it does hold a joyful energy and mood.

W*: What has been a career highlight?
AL: I had some works acquired by the National Gallery of Australia. One appeared in a show called ‘Ever Present’, which brought together the work of more than 170 First Nations artists. These included heroes of mine like Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Clifford Possum. To be in the same show as them was deeply special.

W*: What would be a dream commission?
AL: I’m into building big works at the moment. To do a piece that’s twice the size of one of my works is ten times harder. My dream would be to do something three metres tall. I’m up for the challenge.

W*: What do you believe is the power of design?
AL: My work is about emotion. One of the things I often say is: you can love it or hate it, but you can’t ignore it. This is intentional. My work functions to get people to ask questions and to work out how it makes them feel.

Alfred Lowe, photographed by Emmaline Zanelli, in the ceramics space of the APY Art Centre Collective, Adelaide
@aforalfie