Helen Nottage

Sculpture

15 Jul

Written By Lu Ernest Design .

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Helen Nottage (b. Leamington Spa, UK, 1980) studied at UWIC (1999-2002) and graduated with an MA at Wolverhampton in 2009. She lives and works in Leicestershire.
Helen’s sculptural works play with the notion of fragility and decay, of both the human body and spirit. This fragility is reflected in the delicate anatomical works for which she is best known, the surfaces of which reveal a huge variety of organic textures and colours, and upon closer inspection, intricately embedded symbols.

Helen explores her themes through posture and surface; each sculpture holds secrets within, revealing themselves slowly. Internally, you might glimpse anatomical features or more esoteric symbolism. She is fascinated by other cultures' relationships to death, such as the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations; understanding her work as a modern form of memento mori.
Helen’s inspiration comes from an ever-growing list of sources. The anatomical work in Gunther von Hargens’ ‘Bodyworlds’ exhibition was a significant influence early on in her career. Most recently, she has immersed herself in the rich history of storytelling, appreciating the ways these stories help make sense of difficult situations and realities. Ancient mythology, rites, legends and fairy tales are all explored in her work. Helen is drawn to the outsiders and victims in these stories rather than the heroes.
Helen’s sculptures involve many processes. She forms pieces to make moulds and also uses body-casts, often adding press-moulded elements into them. Printing processes, such as screen printing, carved plaster prints, lino printing and monoprinting also play a crucial role. Helen also rolls objects and textures into clay, as well as using sgraffito as a means of exposing under-layers. When glazing, she prefers to use various washes of oxides and a clear glaze to bring out the cracks and texture in the surface of her work. The pieces may also undergo multiple firings, which often include collaging with decals and lustres.
Helen has been awarded a number of prizes including the Maggie Gamble Memorial Prize in 2011 and the RBSA Exhibition Prize in 2004.
Helen is now firmly established in the world of ceramic art, with work in international collections and public institutions, including the Wedgwood Permanent Collection in Stoke on Trent and the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts, Hollywood fl.