In the studio with….Clare Kenny

14 July 2021

Clare Kenny is a British / Swiss artist and has exhibited internationally at galleries and institutions. She is a member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors (MRSS); has twice been shortlisted for the Swiss Art Awards; and was awarded the Kunstkredit Prize from the city of Basel in Switzerland in 2013 and 2017. She was artist in residence at Residency Unlimited in New York, USA (2018), at the Institute for Provocation in Beijing, ProHelvetia, (2015) and the IAAB Cité des Artes, Paris (2013). Kenny’s large permanent public commission Site Unseen launched in July 2016 and is on view in Basel Switzerland. Her work has a place in many public collections such as ArtUK and in internationally renowned private art collections.

As an artist how do you keep up with what is happening in the art world?

I love seeing art in real life so this is what I seek out first and foremost, this can be anywhere, from public spaces to studios and private collections. As well as this I immerse myself in the online world of art in all its forms from websites and blogs to social media, I also love hearing people talk about art and subscribe to many podcasts.

What is your favourite work of art?

Helen Chadwick’s Ego Geometria Sum, 1983. Helen’s work is so influential for me; when I first discovered her work in a book, I realised I was not alone in pushing the boundaries of the photographic image, and certainly not the first. Chadwick’s work was so unique in its day and still stands its ground in its unique vision in a saturated world.

What is your favourite art book?

Chroma by Derek Jarman, no pictures only words about colour. A deeply thoughtful and moving examination of colours whose words conjure up so many images in one’s mind. It is as though it is a book full of pictures.

What are you currently on and what inspired you to make this work?

Initially because of exhibitions being cancelled as a result of the pandemic the last year was spent mainly taking stock of what I have created and achieved over the last years.  Then I moved into a fabulous studio awarded to me by the City of Basel which was so inspiring. I began working on several new pieces, a series of ceramic chimney stacks influenced by my view from my window during lockdown. Also, some mobiles using sun, movement, and images which I’m looking forward to hopefully showing at Art Basel in September.

What would you like a collector to look at and know about your work?

Well firstly I would like them to feel something when they encounter the work. From this point onwards I hope they notice the many different aspects and feel inclined to ask questions, as there are many different viewpoints to the pieces and many angles to look at.

 www.clarekenny.com