Jeremy Anderson’s illuminated sculptures were an opportunity for the designer to combine two passions; working with clay and creating light. His clay practice is very tactile, meditative, and grounding, and his experience with light comes from being part of a dynamic studio in the creation, as co-founder, of APPARATUS. As he explored ideas, it was important to create something that sparked the same joy as his piccolo vessels. There needed to be human traits or characteristics that bring the object to life. ‘As soon as I have made something and it looks as though it can speak to me or walk off the table, I have found it’.
The inspiration for A New Cast of Characters comes through Anderson’s exploration of shapes and forms that become studio playmates: to create a community of these characters and embellish them as though they are being dressed is the foundation of his practice. Growing up in a conservative and often chaotic home did not allow for the type of play that really brought the designer joy: Anderson says he was more interested in dolls and dress-up; the kind of playing young boys were not supposed to do. Activities through the lens of what is gender appropriate never felt natural, and this body of work allows the designer to tap into the kind of play longed for in his youth.
