WILDLIFE expert Sir David Attenborough will be in Sussex next month to search out treasures in a new exhibition.

Sir David will be in Ditchling on April 4 to open a major exhibition of work by celebrated Japanese potter Shoji Hamada at the tiny village museum. The TV expert will swap his naturalist's hat for another of his passions, collecting ceramics, for the visit. Staging the exhibition, Shoji Hamada - Master Potter, which runs until June 7, is a major coup for the museum in Church Lane. Globe-trotting museum founder Hilary Bourne, 88, flew to Japan last year to help co-ordinate the event. She worked with Hamada, who died in 1978, many years ago and met members of his family during her visit to Japan. Hamada visited Sussex in 1921 and was inspired by the work of a community of craftsmen working on Ditchling Common. 9 The community left such an impression that, on his return to Japan, Hamada was determined to set up his own workshop in a rural location producing beautiful pottery for everyday use. Hamada, who died in 1978, is regarded as one of the world's leading 2Oth century potters. The Ditchling exhibition will include teabowls, tea pots, vases and platters, some of which are being flown in from Japan and shown in Britain for the first time. Museum manager Janet Cragg said: "It is absolutely wonderful for us that Sir David has agreed to open the exhibition. He is a keen collector of ceramics and of Hamada's work in particular." "There has already been a lot of interested in the exhibition from potters and collectors. "The last exhibition of his work in this country was over 30 years ago, it is going to be a big thing for Ditchling and we hope it will bring in a lot off visitors which will benefit traders in the village." Aseries of talks, workshops and demonstrations is being held in conjunction with the exhibition.

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