Clementine Keith-Roach excavates a world beyond the everyday in her terracotta sculptures. Imagine ancient vessels unearthed from a forgotten tomb, their surfaces etched with the stories of time. Now, intertwine these weathered forms with fragmented limbs and grasping hands, all cast in the raw beauty of terracotta. This is the essence of Keith-Roach’s work, where the human body and vessel become one, a poignant exploration of motherhood and the enduring bonds of collective identity.
The Dorset-based artist breathes life into these “new ruins” through a meticulous process. Plaster casts of her own body merge seamlessly with antique vessels, creating a hauntingly beautiful tapestry of form and texture. The trompe-l’œil technique adds another layer of intrigue, blurring the lines between flesh and clay. The resulting sculptures are imbued with a sense of timelessness, whispering tales of lineage and the enduring power of human connection.
Keith-Roach’s work transcends the gallery space, inviting a visceral dialogue with the observer. We are drawn to the raw vulnerability of the exposed limbs, the silent stories etched onto the vessels’ surfaces. These sculptures are more than objects; they are portals to a primal world where the boundaries between self and other dissolve, urging us to contemplate the profound mysteries of kinship and shared experience.
My works have this sacred quality to them. There’s raising the domestic vessel up, transforming it into something ceremonial. It’s taking it out of the everyday and making it into an object of reflection. It’s the same with the body parts. It’s looking at these movements and gestures and things we do every day and monumentalizing them. It’s monumentalizing the everyday.
More info: Website, Instagram.
