Spirit of Place Exhibition 1 March - 28 April 2025
The Spirit of Place exhibition aims to be a thought provoking show where the artwork engages on a deeper level than just the aesthetic. It embraces the notion of 'place' as can be interpreted not only as a location, but also as a way of being.
For this unusual show, Utopia have brought together three artists who responded to the brief in different ways. They each chose to express what the essence of place means to them through very different media: metal, ceramic and collage.
Jeni Cairns
Jeni Cairns is a Cambridgeshire-based artist whose strong connection to wild nature guides both her inner and outer worlds.
By harnessing the strength and versatility of reclaimed metal, Jeni creates intricate sculptures that reflect complex narratives of her relationship with the wild.
“In metal, as in nature, there’s a delicacy, yet enduring strength and resilience".
She uses a plasma cutter to cut into reclaimed metal such as old gas pipes, oil drums and cans, to create a tracery design of natural creatures and plants. This process harmonises her making skills with her strong passion for nature.
Fran Squires
Fran Squires is an East Anglian storyteller who uses textiles, print making, drawing and salvaged remnants to tell her narratives. She works in a very organic way letting the stories unfold in a loose graphic style with painterly details. Drawn to patterns in the world around her, she transposes these into pictorial artworks that attract the eye and pique curiosity.
After studying Surface Pattern at university, she went on to work as a designer, then technician at Norwich University of the Arts. Fran is now a full-time artist devoting her time to exploring new ways to tell her stories.
For the Spirit of Place exhibition Fran has focused on creating a series of 6 pictures that reflect daily walks around her village.
Jaeeun Kim
Jaeeun Kim's ceramics are personal narratives inspired by the art therapy method House-Tree-Person. Through delicate porcelain vases, she explores healing and self-discovery, expressing connections to home.
Her sculptural vessels are created by the slip cast method using fine porcelain fired at 1220 degrees centigrade. Decorated with glazes, drawings and transfers, her ceramics have a delicate and dainty quality with an ethereal aura.
Born in South Korea, Jaeeun focuses her art practice from her London studio.
