Sam Bakewell

Sam Bakewell is a London-based artist who continuously explores and challenges the limits of clay as a medium. His works, ranging from tiny to enormous, are often abstract, colourful and conceptually eloquent. Bakewell often uses clay dust in his works, reevaluating the usefulness of that which is deemed as waste. The malleability and historical connotation of the material inspire themes of collective human experience, iconography and historical parallels. Bakewell finds inspiration in poets and artists, such as Ted Hudges, Martin Brothers and William De Morgan. His practice reimagines distant artistic elements of poetry, painting, or woodwork into clay-based interpretations, striving to undo the learned professional skill of pottery-making. Bakewell’s personal connection to the material goes back to the artist’s childhood where he would make magical creatures out of clay found in his parents’ garden. The sensation of joy he experienced as a child transcends the years and can be felt by his audience today.