Jenny Reed
Friday Mug
SKU# JREED-0004
$ 70.00
Artist's Bio
My practice primarily consists of creating assemblage sculptures that
incorporate a variety of craft-based processes. These abstract representational works
range from haphazardly arranged symbolic objects to scenes depicting domestic
spaces. Through my work I examine where I have and have not found solace in the past
in order to imagine what a more hopeful future could look like. My works depict
personal visual experiences from the places I have lived and of objects I love. Specific
objects are incorporated to draw attention to the present moment or to symbolically
convey universal themes. By alluding to the underlying structures and assumptions
that contribute to feelings of pointlessness and the inescapable anxiety about our
mortality, my works aim to inspire viewers to envision new ways of perceiving and
making sense of not only past events but also everyday relations.
The creation of my work allows me the space, time, and creative outlet to
rethink the monotony of daily life and to reflect on the insurmountable challenges that
face our world. While it may certainly feel like we are living in what environmentalist
Timothy Morton calls an age of cynicism, I believe that by recognizing and appreciating
the magical moments, the pleasant surprises, and the everyday comforts of life, I am
able to overcome the sense of cynicism that may be limiting our enduring power to
create a more beautiful and life-affirming world.
Moreover, I want my work to create opportunities for others to feel connected to
one another in a disconnected world. To this end, I incorporate a variety of craft
materials, showcasing the vast differences between components as well as connection
points bound and delicately balanced together. I experiment with the limitless ability
of cheap and accessible materials to be transformed, all the while playing with the
historical American myth that craft has inherent moral value. These materials are
charged with their historical associations with the creation of communities and
cultures, and more recently to social and political movements. Their link to womens
work and unskilled labor challenges established hierarchies of value, including
consumerism and the accumulation of wealth. Through subverting the typical
connotations of craft materials, I am creating space for alternative perspectives to
emerge.
Ceramics is the conceptual and physical backbone to my works. In other words, I
think through each step of my process in a ceramic mindset, slowly accumulating
pieces until the point when they become a record of a loose narrative. I overemphasize
the tactile quality of ceramics and incorporate a variety of both implied and physical
textures. I want my work to appear as if it desires touch while also making a visceral
impression on viewers
