In The Bottle, I subvert still life beyond its traditional role as a static study of objects. The bottles, though familiar as everyday domestic forms, become figures with human qualities. They slump, stand tall, lean, and twist, embodying bodily presence, vulnerability, and gesture. This anthropomorphism invites viewers to see them as surrogates for people or states of being.
Complementing the bottles are hand-sculpted ceramic frames that act as organic architectural forms. These structures draw inspiration from the architectural towers of my childhood, particularly those built by my father. The irregularity of the frames stretch and distort the imagery within, creating a continuous dialogue between painting, surface, and form.
The work refuses to remain politely on the wall. Instead, it reaches into the gallery space, demanding physical engagement from viewers. The irregular frames force you to move, to find different angles of viewing, to participate in the work’s spatial ambitions.
Jake Walker, May 2025
Jake Walker’s artistic practice is characterised by sustained experimentation and a dynamic creative impetus that informs the development of each work. His signature ceramic frames, playful, tactile, and irregular in form, provide a deliberate counterpoint to the smooth, often abstract canvases they surround. This juxtaposition serves to foreground the expressive and material possibilities of clay, positioning it simultaneously as both medium and structural support.
Architectural references are integral to Walker’s oeuvre. Many of his ceramic constructions incorporate elements such as lateral piping, diminutive steeples, and sculptural forms that recall aspects of the built environment. These works frequently retain visible traces of their making; surface textures and structural idiosyncrasies reflect the artist’s manual processes and underscore the handcrafted nature of the practice. Mark-making is also central to Walker’s visual lexicon, with inscriptions appearing along frame edges and across painted surfaces. His works are commonly inscribed with initials and completion dates, subtle acknowledgements of temporal and labour-intensive processes.
Since 2009, Walker has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and New Zealand. He received a High Commendation in the RBS Emerging Artist Award in 2010 and was the inaugural recipient of the Arkley Award at NOTFAIR, Melbourne. In 2012, he undertook a studio residency at Gertrude Contemporary. His work is represented in major public and private collections, including Artbank, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Chartwell Collection (Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki), the Wallace Arts Trust, the Bowman Collection, and the Joyce Nissan Collection, as well as in numerous private collections across Australasia and internationally.
