Artist Statement
Much of my work has evolved from an early fascination with repeated patterns and multiple units. Though, mostly ceramic based, the work often incorporates other media in an installation format. My real interest is in speaking to the personal—bringing form to questions about our internal rather than external states—though currently my work looks at how we respond to external conditions.
The use of excessive embellishment and overstatement in the work creates its own kind of odd beauty—a visual hyperbole capable of seducing its viewers—much like a flower attracts a bee. This use of enhancement allows me to reference historical and cultural metaphors, and in turn, create layers of possible meaning.
It is always my intention, as well, to challenge some of the long-standing beliefs associated with the use of clay–that it is a historically “craft” material and lacks a real place in contemporary art contexts. I choose to treat ceramics antithetically, questioning the possibilities of the material–how it might be used and in what ways it can speak of our time.
— Lee Renninger
Bio