Conversations
The Works of Su Jameson
Su Jameson: Cradle
Su Jameson's new collection 'Conversations' explores the connections and complexities of being human and the tools we use to communicate.
Her hand-built ceramic sculptures strive to create physical and emotional exchanges drawn from her interactions and observations. Her work explores the complexities of being human, issues around belonging, strength and fragility, and communication tools. Derived from ideas that are at once particular and universal, the work invites contemplation and reinterpretation.
A bold colour palette brings to life her mesmerising ceramic sculptural forms, and you cannot help but look closer, deeper into each piece.
Su Jameson: Caller
Some of the pieces include birds. Su is surrounded by birdsong where she works. Birds are symbolic of her upbringing. The birds singing have infiltrated her psyche during her solitary studio practice. By including these characters, she is pushing back against influences from her childhood fuelled by Irish superstitions where birds were seen as unlucky and unwelcome, especially indoors. The revolt against these messages has resulted in the realisation that their inclusion in her works is a constant engagement. This newfound companionship through the surround sound of birdsong and loose interpretations in the clay has been joyful and cathartic.
Su says–
"Rather than a specific narrative, I am interested in a more allegorical conveyance of hidden/semi-hidden and sometimes complex meanings that are highly personal; through symbols, colours, and textures. This approach, I hope, allows for a more universal dialogue".
So, this collection evokes inner voices - conflicting, comforting, questioning, ancient and current - with bird-like additions on some works as representations of this. Su notes that birds are our only known living dinosaurs and thus evoke ancient wisdom. They are social and pass on knowledge across generations. Her research has looked at the use of totems in early African carvings, where birds such as the pelican are symbolic in initiation ceremonies.
Su Jameson: Whispers