Lydia Smith and Evie Mae Jacobs: Soft Spaces
7th March – 12th March 2023
The Koppell Project
125 New Bond Street
London
W1S 1DY
On March 7th, emerging Artists Lydia Smith and Evie Mae Jacobs will present their highly-anticipated exhibition, “Soft Spaces“, a dialogue between technology and physicality informed by historical techniques. At The Koppell Project 125 New Bond Street, London.
Smith and Jacobs have created a unique experience for visitors, layering the filters between the digital and physical spaces. Through the use of ancient materials, including clay and oil paint, they have crafted meditative, abstract and intimate works that hold the weight of their disciplines’ history. The artists have used technology as a tool to look into the future whilst contextualising their practices in the past. They see the human form as a landscape in which a sense of softness can be discovered.
Smith’s work is a conversation between the digital and the physical worlds. From her hands to software to her mind, and then back to her hands; a three-way dialogue starts to unfold whilst always putting power back into her hands as the artist. Her finished works are a balanced expression of this relationship. Their complex simplicity serves as a break of consciousness to the viewer. A stop and a pause.
Throughout this dialogue, her mind is imagining our future as beings, both our spiritual and Avatar selves. She believes sculpture is a physicality that grounds us between these two worlds. Sculpture commands space. It forces the air (real or immersive) to move and flow around it. Smith has exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, had a solo show in Soho with An Effort, and has worked with luxury fashion brand E P O K woman at their flagship store on Grafton street, Mayfair.
A Digital Sculpture by Jacobs and Smith
When Smith used her unique scanning technique to translate ‘Internal Universe’ into the digital realm, the distortions resembled elements alluding to organs. Jacobs’ womb-like piece ‘Mother Cocoon’, and Smith’s sculpture ‘Internal Universe’ serendipitously merge the themes of new beginnings and the unknown. ‘Mother Cocoon’ focuses on the connection between mother and child, and ‘Internal Universe’ explores the creation of energy. These works blend together with ease, to generate a digital artwork that references the creation of life itself.
Jacobs’ work focuses on the relationship we have, as humans, to sensory experience. Using the traditional process of painting oil on canvas, she leans into the history of the discipline, whilst embracing contemporary methods of configuring her work.
Reinforced by the sensuousness of the medium itself, in this body of work she presents the human form as a soft landscape. Her use of colour and layering is informed by the vivid and nostalgic nature of memory and dreams. With an interest that lies in both the physical and metaphorical sense of softness, here the material and the body become one. Exploring femininity, comfort and human connection in many forms, her practice is led by the slow, soothing nature of its own process and aesthetic. Jacobs has had a solo show at 1801 London, a group show at The London Studios, Southbank, and collaborated with Dior and Guerlain.
The artists met at their studio in Bank hosted by the Koppel Project and are grateful to have their support in the opening of Soft Spaces, as well as that of their other sponsors and supporters, including Art Plugged, LND CRU, The Eaton Fund, Mayfair Art Circle, Walters Cube, London Women Leading Web 3 and WAAW London (Women Artist’s Art Week). On March 9th, Smith and Jacobs will present an Artist Talk hosted by Alina Davey, who works at Sothbys, specialising in impressionist and contemporary art. A dialogue between technology and physicality, informed by historical techniques.
Smith and Jacobs feed their work by layering the filters between the digital and physical spaces. They manipulate, disfigure and abstract using ancient materials, such as clay and oil paint, which hold the weight of history. Join the Artists on 9th March from 6.30 pm for a talk, mingling and drinks. The talk will be Hosted by Alina Davey, who specialises in impressionism and Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s.
The Evening is sponsored by Mayfair Art circle and AMLY botanicals.
There will be 15 goodies for attendees to win, provided by AMLY at the event.
RSVP is essential – Softspacesexhibition@gmail.com
©2023 Lydia Smith, Evie Mae Jacobs
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