Curated with Contemporary Applied Arts, this exhibition of Fenella Elms’s extraordinary ceramic sculptures explores the vital rhythm of individual bodies in formation.
Fenella Elms work captures the ebb and flow of performance, coming to life through the experience of the beholder. Her remarkable ceramic sculptures ripple with patterns that emerge and shift before our eyes – delicate illusions that belie their hard porcelain forms.
Each of the intricate panel and vessels on show is made from a multitude of porcelain beads, carefully placed by hand to form a co-operative complex, a whole body. The pieces are constructed intuitively, with no formal plan for their composition, and the rhythmic structures emerge from the individual beads. Separate bodies work together to create a spectacular whole that confounds expectations and inspires wonder.
In a former life Elms worked in the mental health service with psychotherapeutic groups, in which the interaction of several awakened the individual. Now, she enjoys working with clay as it lends itself to inquisitive discovery, enabling ideas to become tangible.
At Circus, we are inspired by the power of ideas in action. This show examines and captures the energy of collaboration. The interaction of small elements, decisions and actions that builds to create a dynamic entity, be it a work of art or a brand. The experience of which is so much greater than its component parts.
Hear Fenella Elms speaking about her work:
fenellaelms.com | @fenellaelms
With thanks to Contemporary Applied Arts.
CAA (Contemporary Applied Arts) is London’s original multi-disciplinary applied arts gallery, which champions only the very best of British craft.
September – October 2015
