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[title]Proudfoot’s enigmatic approach to ceramics has made her one of the most unique artists working in the medium today. Her flattened, shadow puppet-esque, glistening assemblages are full of bodies that are being pulled apart and sewn together, hybrid creatures and oodles of hair and wax and food. The result is a bunch of bodily, eerie, gorgeous sculptural installations that feel like they’re hiding countless, unknowable narratives.
What would you say your art is about?
‘It feels like it’s changing all the time but it usually comes back to different ways of understanding the human body, both physically as a sculptural entity and conceptually as the vehicle through which we navigate life. I work predominantly in ceramics now but much of this stems from my background in clothes making, specifically the way the body is segmented and made into flat patterns before it is reformed and augmented in cloth. In this dissecting and mapping of the body I draw parallels to anatomy, often blurring cloth and skin in my ceramic works.’
What inspires you?
‘I take a lot of inspiration from conversations with friends and collaborators, particularly my work with the performance group Stasis, who I have been collaborating with for the last decade. I spend a lot of time in the studio on my own so working with them gets me out of habits I develop and always throws up new inspiration.’
What are the challenges of being an artist in London?
‘There are many, but primarily the lack of affordable studio space and that there are relatively few public institutions that offer opportunities to less established artists. It creates a scarcity mentality amongst artists, which I try to remind myself to work against – collaboration and sharing ideas/resources are good antidotes!’
What one thing could be done to better support young artists in London?
‘Having standard rates of pay for artists and art workers that are actually stuck to. There is a lack of transparency around pay and it can be particularly overwhelming as a young artist not knowing whether your inexperience is being taken advantage of.’
What would you do with the Turbine Hall?
‘I would create a ceramic frieze installation, composed of different vignettes that build up a narrative scene, which would also form the stage for a choreographed performance. I’d want there to be really comfortable seating so the visitors could feel cocooned and drawn into the little details of the work, in spite of being in such a humongous and overwhelming space.’
This interview is part of Time Out’s The Future of London Art series. Read more here.