Bio:
Adi Avidani is an Israeli artist and art teacher based in London, UK. Fascinated by the clear connection she finds between clay and people, Adi uses clay to portray human relations. You can usually find her working on her pieces in the studio, around the clock. Adi is currently working on a collection of chains and knots, shedding light on the essence of human relationships, our connections, limitations, desires, temptations, and dreams. She also strives to accentuate the contrasting nature of chains, an object often associated with imprisonment, and how it also evokes a strong sense of security and consistency. With a background in special education (MEd in Special and Inclusive Education from UCL) and a strong belief in the invaluable impact of art on our daily lives, Adi decided to found the inclusive Cambridge Art Club where she teaches children to express their creativity and develop artistic skills.
For the past year, Adi has been working in the Kiln Cambridge Studio as a freelance ceramist, while also indulging in life sculpting masterclasses. Today, Adi is a member at the exclusive ceramic studio in London, Studio Pottery London. The studio is home to various freelance artists, forming a creative community that greatly contributes to Adi's inspiration.
Artist Statement:
Since my work revolves around human relations, I hope the viewers would be inspired to delve into their inner selves and observe their relations: with themselves, their surroundings, their passions and fears. Though they feel personal to me, I believe my creations reflect an inner truth in anyone. Their ability to be moved around freely allows the chains to portray different contexts depending on their arrangement, which I feel resembles my relationship with the audience and my role as an artist.
In my eyes, clay represents both ephemerality and eternality, and I believe the contrast between the eternality of clay and the dynamicity of my chains portrays the philosophy behind my work - the lightness and balance in being chained, coexisting with the limitation in being free, and our constant need for society and a support network and validations.
My world of inspiration stretches beyond ceramics artists. I am greatly inspired by literature, and in my recent work “Of Human Bondage”, I was influenced by philosophers Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre and their long discussion on essence vs. meaning. I am moved by the works of the Italian novelist Elena Ferrante, addressing the power and inspiration that lies within family ties. The fact Ferrante uses a pen name and is anonymous, strengthens the fact that meaning lies in the eyes of the beholder. The art comes to life through the reader, and I find that is also the case with my chains thanks to their dynamicity.
Another great source of inspiration is my hometown, Jerusalem, and the sometimes-destructive imbalance of its nature, architecture and social structure. I also believe that community and creative environments have a large impact on my inspiration, and the daily interaction with my multicultural group of colleagues has contributed to my work.
@adi.avidani
