Erin Siena Jobs

This summer, our gallery in Paris displays works by ceramicist Erin Siena Jobs in her European debut. This marks the first-ever presentation in Paris by Make, Hauser & Wirth’s platform celebrating artist-makers. The functional ceramics on view reveal Jobs’ ongoing experimentation with glazes, shaped by the medium’s unpredictable nature. From bowls and cups to vessels, the works possess emotions otherwise absent in quotidian objects. Displayed on plinths sourced from French markets, the presentation is curated by architect Luis Laplace.

The vessels that form this project represent where Erin has arrived after 6 years of establishing a ceramic practice. Over that time, she has developed an unconventional approach to forming and glazing.

Typically, when one makes pottery, the potter works in a series, repeating the form and glaze, trying to achieve a specific result.

This approach may be how one develops a ‘line’ of work. Erin has approached the pieces with the perspective of someone searching, aiming for discovery. No two pieces are formed or glazed the same; often the use of natural materials and wood ash inject immeasurable attributes to the finished piece. Layering, mixing, and diluting glazes contribute to the unique surfaces on each vessel and diminish the chance of repeatability.

Through this process, Erin creates surfaces that have attributes that are similar to wood fired or soda fired ceramics.

The forms themselves are a nod to the history of ceramics while simultaneously pushing beyond the conventions of traditional vessel-making through experimentation and departure from the expected.

—Scott Jennings