Joan Clare Brown Juxtaposes Anatomy and Memories in Poignant Porcelain Sculptures
“Ed #13” (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 6 x 8 inches. Photos edited by Nash Quinn. All images courtesy of Joan Clare Brown, shared with permission
Joan Clare Brown Juxtaposes Anatomy and Memories in Poignant Porcelain Sculptures
February 11, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
Share
Pin
Bookmark
Depending on how you look at them, the tendrils seemingly growing from Joan Clare Brown’s porcelain bases could be perceived as soft and delicate or spiny, defensive, and slightly unsettling. Dualities lie at the heart of the artist’s approach to ceramics, especially in her ongoing series Ed, which takes personal experience and human anatomy as starting points for a poignant study of grief.
“I started this series as a response to my father’s sudden passing,” Brown tells Colossal. “He was diagnosed with widespread pancreatic cancer and passed away the same day, ultimately of sepsis from complications of a perforated bowel.” In the Ed works, the cinched base, which mimics a frilly-edged textile cushion or pouch, represents a perforated organ, and the long, growing blades or tendrils emblematize infection.
“Ed #5” (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 6 x 4 x 5 inches
The inherent hardness and brittleness of porcelain juxtapose with the softness of textile-like surfaces and organic, plant-like fronds. Each color reflects specific childhood memories of Brown’s father, like the blue and green hues drawn from his favorite flannel shirt or light pinks and purples redolent of a tablecloth used at her family dinners.
“Through the permanence of the ceramic form, my hope was to turn something menacing and insidious into a nostalgic and meaningful reminder,” Brown says. “And by making these pieces, in a way, I feel that he is still present.”
Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
“Ed #16” (2023), porcelain, mason stain, glaze, and luster, 7 x 6 x 4 inches
Detail of “Ed #13”
“Ed #10” (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 5 x 5 inches
“Ed #11” (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 8 x 7 inches
“Ed #12” (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 5 x 4 inches
Detail of “Ed #11”
“Ed #4” (2022), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 4 x 4 inches
“Ed #3” (2022), porcelain, mason stain, glaze, and luster, 8 x 6 x 4 inches
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.
Hide advertising
Save your favorite articles
Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop
Receive members-only newsletter
Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms
Join us today!
$7/month
$75/year
Explore membership options
Next article More
