Chefas Projects is delighted to present Swimming with a Melting Crown, the second solo exhibition by ceramicist Paige Wright. With her latest collection of sculptures, Wright weaves together themes of fluidity and transformation, exploring both the metamorphosis of ceramic glazes and the limitless possibilities of human expression through decoration.
For Wright, the concept of melting represents a liminal space where change occurs, revealing beauty in the ephemeral. Under the kiln's intense heat, the powdered minerals in glazes transition from dull solids to molten liquids, ultimately becoming radiant adornments. This alchemical process dependent on the melting point reveals the essence of ceramics: an embrace of experimentation, science, and play, from which Wright takes great inspiration. As a result, rarely do two glazes come out the same– the material requires an embrace of uniqueness. Wright likens this to the human face, applying vibrant and textured glazes to her portraits to amplify and celebrate individuality.
Wright’s glazes are not meant to mimic the natural world, instead she uses it to perform a very human tendency – a tendency to decorate and adorn. She views this impulse not only as ancient as ego, but also as rooted deeply in an ongoing desire for knowledge of self. Equally inspired by the power of drag makeup, stripes of rich color and washes of lush texture both highlight and contrast features of the face. Swimming with a Melting Crown invites viewers to consider how identity, adornment, and beauty intertwined in our shared human experience.
