Biography
Leah Jensen (b. Truro, UK 1990) graduated in Contemporary Crafts from Falmouth University in 2014. Exhibitions include New Craftsman, London (2017); The National Gallery, London (2017); and New Designers, London (2015). "I use ceramics as a canvas, as a surface on which to explore ideas surrounding mathematics and art. Deconstructing Renaissance paintings to their fundamental elements, unearthing hidden geometric structures that reside beneath the surface. I carve each vessel by hand with an aim to increase the complexity and precision of detail to appear mechanically manufactured. I call this aesthetic ‘anti-digital’. The patterns derived from each painting are determined by significant points in the image, which are mapped onto the surface of the vessels using pins and paper. The holes left behind dictate where I carve, generating an added challenge by creating irregular intervals in the surfaces.
"I combine materials in order to produce the highest possible contrast in colour and texture: clean, smooth, white porcelain against dark, burnt wood; grogged clay partially covered by a glassy shell. Juxtaposed to toy with the idea of producing a subtle feeling of discomfort in the viewer. Carving each vessel by hand is a very slow and meditative process that allows space for reflection. Once the vessel is complete the narrative is hidden, just as structure of the painting before it."
