Christie Brown
Head and Shoulders, 1998

Material: Red brick clay, built with heavily grogged material.

Head and Shoulders by Christie Brown is a figure from the ‘Stone Mother’ series, 1998

Christie Brown’s artistic approach is deeply rooted in the exploration of our connection with objects and the role that museum exhibits and ancient artifacts play in shaping modern art. Drawing inspiration from archaeology, which reveals fragmented stories of historical lives, her work parallels the method of psychoanalysis, where uncovering layers leads to the discovery of concealed truths. Brown’s creations echo these ancient remnants and delve into the myths, stories, and symbolic meanings linked to clay and its interaction with other materials like wax, bronze, and plaster. Her exhibitions often focus on specific sites or themes, and her use of press-moulding as a technique enables her to investigate the concept of repetition through various installations and series.

An accomplished artist and Emerita Professor of Ceramics at the University of Westminster, London, Christie Brown has been a significant figure in the field since graduating from Harrow School of Art in 1982 and establishing her studio in North London the same year. During her tenure at Westminster, she contributed to both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, all while evolving her sculptural work. As the Principal Investigator for the AHRC-funded project “Ceramics in the Expanded Field” initiated by the University’s Ceramics Research Centre (CRC-UK) in 2011, she continues to be an integral part of the CRC-UK. Brown’s ceramic sculptures have been showcased extensively within the UK and internationally, and she is a regular speaker at global residencies and conferences. Her work is part of numerous private and public collections across Europe and the USA, including notable institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK and the Mint Museum in the USA.

Provenance: Purchased from Contemporary Applied Arts, London. From a Maryland private collection.