Vessel Gallery presents 'Soft Geometry' the 2nd solo exhibition at Vessel Gallery by the British artist, Steven Edwards.

"This body of work builds on my interest in process-led art, where each piece develops through intuitive actions and experimenting with materials. The making involves cutting, rearranging, layering, and reworking things as I go. Each piece becomes a record of how it was made – showing the choices, changes, and interruptions along the way. Ultimately, the work grows out of curiosity and wonder, shaped by an eclectic mix of influences spanning art, craft, design, geology, architecture and theory" Steven Edwards.

Edwards is a ceramic artist whose work investigates the language of making through the materiality and physicality of clay. He uses traditional techniques that provoke unanticipated outcomes, using clay as a medium that sustains the narrative of the making process. The resulting forms embody his interaction and manipulation of the clay using bespoke tools to explore the intrinsic properties of the material.

Whilst challenging and pushing his material to the limits, often using clay bodies in ways they are not designed for, Edwards purposely exploits unexpected results. Creating a sense of unease, during the making his clay cracks and buckles, resulting in permanent scars that illustrate the extremes that have been asked of it. Purely aesthetic, these fissures within the surface are an important counter point to the idealised, often confectionery sugary-hued, layered rings.

Edwards has exhibited his work at premiere contemporary design and craft shows including the British Ceramics Biennial, London Craft Week, London Design Festival and Paris Design Week, as well as extensively in the UK and Europe. He has also made large-scale outdoor installations, including From Humble Beginnings as part of the Surrey Unearthed Arts Council funded project at the Watts Gallery. He has work within the permanent collections of Chatsworth House, home of the Devonshire family. In 2024 Edwards was a finalist for the Brookfield Properties Craft Award during Collect, the Craft Council’s Art Fair in London.
Soft Geometry - An insight into the practice of Steven Edwards