Irja Bodén
To Dress A Ptarmigan IV
2019 - 2020
Irja Bodén (b. Kiruna, Sweden) is a ceramicist who received her BFA from SUNY Potsdam, magna cum laude, in visual arts and a BA in Social Science from Lund University, Sweden.
Speaking on her work, Bodén states, “Ceramics transforms the malleable into permanence, a process that echoes life. We begin as a mere potential ending up reflecting what we see. My sculptures similarly reflect this process. I frequently use stacking as a method of spatial organization. My stacks are built from richly textured, wheel-thrown, and hand-built forms. My work alludes to the natural world and domestic interiors. Each segment is lightly secured, though I also leave forms unattached to articulate precarious balance. My sculptures take some time to achieve a finished state. Multiple firings are not unusual, since I like to experiment with surface techniques, and it can take months to find the right piece for a sculpture. Some of the sculptures contain broken and unrecognizable parts, in reference to how memories diminish overtime. I believe we must cherish the things that we carry with us, even if they break in transit.”