Emma Jean Kemp

Emma has always shown an interest in art and the process of making, which led her to live and study in Florence in 2004. Emma then proceeded to Nottingham Trent University for a Fine-Art degree, during which she acquired a different approach to her practice, exploring interactive and community arts.

She continued in this line of work after graduating yet soon began to miss the craft and tactile nature of clay so with this in mind, she moved to Bristol in 2010 to focus on figurative sculpture. Since then, Emma hasn’t looked back as galleries and buyers increasingly take interest in her work. She constantly welcomes opportunities to learn new processes and develop ideas, including completing a post-grad diploma at Heatherly’s School in 2014.

Emma is represented by various galleries around the UK and has exhibited internationally at art fairs. She has completed various public and private commissions, including a public, bronze installation in Heleaze, Bristol.

“My work explores human experience: from how we feel, to how we move, to how we deal with life. I sculpt moments in our lives that shape or define us, such as the tiny girl reaching to see inside a bowl or the man desperately trying to turn the page he is standing on. Sculpting people in these scenarios helps me process my own life experiences, as well reflect on our collective humanity.
I am fascinated by the human figure, from the inside out, and take great pleasure in studying anatomy to inform my sculpture, as well as understand how the body moves. My figures have a unique texture that reveals my workings into the clay, applied in a way that accentuates the muscles and celebrates the beauty of the human form. Inspired by my love for Capoeira, much of my portfolio portrays our athletic nature. I want to commemorate that we are the most adaptive species on the planet, and I hope my work will connect with people’s inherent need to move and express themselves physically.
My main love is the tactile nature of clay, but I also work with wax, plaster, metal, stone and resin. The presentation of my figures is an intrinsic part of my work. I sculpt spaces and objects for the figures to interact with, to create a narrative as well as accentuate the dynamics of the pose.”