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Inspired by Lucas Cranach, Claire Partington creates ceramic figures which synthesize historical characters, myths, fairytales and folklore. Her sculptures exist in a world which blends genres and time periods, to present historically informed, contemporary and socially conscious works.
With the hand of a formally trained sculptor, Partington creates exquisite figures, clothed in an 18th Century Marie Antoinette-style dress, paired with Adidas sneakers, gold chains and carefully placed Chanel logos. Partington plays with our attention to status cues, now and then, and how we identify our tribes.
As Partington explains, subjects and themes explored in her work are drawn largely from the European tradition of “appropriation and reinterpretation (or misinterpretation) of “exotic” styles that can be seen in National Collections across the world.” Partington relishes in borrowing from many styles, themes, disciplines, time periods and countries – blurring the lines of styles and meaning. The resulting sculptures present an intriguing and fantastical story of traditional and contemporary visual narratives.
Claire Partington graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1995 with a 1st in Fine Art Sculpture and gained a Post Graduate qualification in Museum Studies in 2000. She started making ceramic works after attending night school classes in 2005. Her work features in notable international collections including the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, National Museums Scotland, Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Museum of London, Seattle Art Museum, Ömer Koç Collection, Istanbul and the Reyden Weiss Collection in Germany. She was awarded a Contemporary Art Society Commission in 2022 with the Walker Art Gallery, and was the recipient of the Virginia A Groot award in 2018.
Claire Partington graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1995 with a 1st in Fine Art Sculpture and gained a Post Graduate qualification in Museum Studies in 2000. She started making ceramic works after attending night school classes in 2005. Her work features in notable international collections including the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, National Museums Scotland, Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Museum of London, Seattle Art Museum, Ömer Koç Collection, Istanbul and the Reyden Weiss Collection in Germany. She was awarded a Contemporary Art Society Commission in 2022 with the Walker Art Gallery, and was the recipient of the Virginia A Groot award in 2018.
