BIO

In her work, she places opposing themes alongside one another: violence and safety; suffocation and peace; loneliness and belonging; private and public: reflecting an ongoing inquiry into the ever-shifting dynamics of domesticity.

While she has experimented with various mediums, her current focus is on ceramic sculpture. In 2022 she co-founded the ceramic Studio, Khe, in Mexico City. There, she teaches regular ceramics classes and special workshops and also holds independent exhibitions of the pieces produced by the larger community that create pieces in the studio. 

In her own ceramic practice, she uses classic handbuilding techniques to create multi-dimensional pieces that then become narrative canvases adorned with illustrations, texts, paintings, textures and relief sculptures. Historical and conceptual research is integral to her practice, enriching her exploration of ceramics as both an art form and a symbol of cultural heritage and everyday life. Her interest in ceramics extends beyond its artistic potential to its historical significance as a marker of social status within domestic settings. In her work she reflects on how material culture shapes identities and perceptions of class. By highlighting the significance of everyday objects, she invites viewers to reconsider their own relationships with objects and their profound impact on personal and collective narratives.

Jessie Lewis (b.1994) is a multi-disciplinary artist from Johannesburg, South Africa. Since 2019 she has been based in Mexico City.

Regardless of the medium she employs, her artistic practice engages with the societal contexts she inhabits. Themes such as home, forced migration, family history, class dynamics, queerness and gender pervade her work, offering a lens through which she examines personal experiences of the broader social issues that surround her. Her educational background and first professional experiences are in film and the influence of cinema and narration can be seen strongly in her work.

Recently, her artistic focus has turned inward to explore domestic space. She confronts the dualities inherent in this environment— a space that evokes both calm and discomfort.