On a Wing
Jennifer Holt
Porcelain, thread
Art Dimensions: Variable/Adaptable to space
Exhibition - Iowa Clay Conference | River 2 River
---
Artist Statement
By exploiting the fragility and translucency of porcelain, I employ the process of casting on metaphorical terms. To me, a mold creates a memory of an object, picking up traces of its use and history. Clay has the ability to contain this memory, creating a ghost-like membrane that divides presence from absence. It is this fine line between reality and memory that my work explores. As an installation artist, I become a mediator between site and object, object and viewer, past and present. By combining cast objects and temporal situations, I offer a visual metaphor for the phenomena of time and memory while encouraging viewers to be mindful of their presence in space and time. I cast everyday objects and scenarios to investigate their narrative qualities and potential to play off the collective memory of the viewer. My most recent work employs the human figure to explore notions of our shared humanity. “On a Wing” hopes to express the leaps of faith we must take to overcome obstacles.
Artist Biography
Jen Holt’s porcelain sculpture and installation revolves around notions of time, place, and memory. Her work has been exhibited in numerous national and international exhibitions, including: The NCECA Clay National Biennial”, Louisville, KY; “Clay: Time, Place & Memory”, Phoenix Sky Harbor Art Museum, AZ; "The Dorothy Saxe Invitational", Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA; and “In Sight”, Holter Museum of Art, Helena MT. She has been an artist in residence at the Archie Bray Foundation, Watershed Center, Lawrence Art Center, Red Lodge Clay Center, and attended an international residency at FuLe International Ceramic Art Museums in China. Her artwork has been published in national and international publications and resides in many private and public collections. Holt received her BFA in Sculpture from Ohio University, and MFA in Ceramics from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She currently resides in east-central Kansas where she is a practicing artist and Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Emporia State University.
