Icônes

With international institutions closed to the public, and online exhibitions quickly becoming the new norm, art fanatics have resorted to digital means to fill a creative void, and anyone whose preferred exploratory platform is Instagram has certainly encountered the colorful and playful, logo-adorned ceramics of sculptor, Jake Clark.

Jake Clark’s interest in art began at a young age, igniting a creative journey that would eventually turn into a full-fledged art form. An early obsession with drawing ultimately led him to swap pencils for spray paint as a teenager, and adopt graffiti as his preferred medium; citing Keith Haring’s subway art as a major source of inspiration from when he was a child. After discovering the late artist’s large urns and ceramic pots – motivated by Haring’s ability to use almost anything as his canvas – Clark’s interests continued to evolve as he began working with clay in high school. Falling in love with the material due to its flexibility and potential to create 3-dimensional works, his focus transitioned to sculpture and painting. Furthermore, his obsession with iconography coupled with a degree in horticulture created the secret sauce that defines his trademark artistic style today.

​Inspired by contemporary culture and his interest in plants and foliage, Jake Clark’s ceramic sculptures and large-scale urns serve both as art pieces and physical snap shots of our time. Much like the manner in which Andy Warhol’s obsession with celebrity and commonplace imagery defined his oeuvre, Clark’s inspiration comes from everyday visuals and the places he interacts with, whether it be hotels, the supermarket, a local health food shop, restaurant menus, street signs or advertisements. While the hand-made quality of Jake Clark’s sculptures is a far cry from the factory-like production favored by his predecessors, both artists see common ground in their likeminded playful appreciation of familiar iconography.​

Jake Clark, born 1985 in Melbourne, Australia, is a self taught artist and ceramicist.