Jo Heckett: The Sparkling Dark
An exhibition of paintings, poetry and ceramics by Jo Heckett. Originally from Cork in the Irish Republic, Jo Heckett trained at Chelsea School of Art and Brighton University where she received a BA (Hons) in 3D Design (Wood, Metal, Ceramics and Plastics) and an MA in Therapeutic Bodywork from Westminster University. She now shares her time between her London and Irish studios.The title of the exhibition comes from one of Jo's spoken word poems. Celebratory, bright and sparkling, the exhibition showcases the joyousness of being alive. The paintings are full of magic, quite literally. Jo imbues them with alchemy as she paints. Her ceramics are earthy and rich, tactile caves named after a series of fictional goddesses. She brings her witchery to eroticism, sisterhood, money and spirituality, reordering the mysteries of the universe from a feminine perspective.
As an artist I re-imagine the world how I want it to be. My job is to plug us back into our place in the sacred living Earth, to fall in love with life, with our bodies, and to do it through art. I’m interested in what is at the core of human experience, what connects us to our very earliest ancestors and how we are embedded in the natural world. I draw on women’s spirituality, sexuality and creativity, encompassing notions of witchcraft, sensuality and the erotic life force, looking for what is permanent and connects all life. I want people to experience the work in their bodies. Ceramics, painting, photography, found materials, poetry, the spoken word, every medium comes at the same question from a different angle. What I can’t say with ceramics I say with paint, and what I can’t say with paint, I describe with poetry. I often choose materials that have immediacy and vibrancy to ‘break the compression of perfection’ and let the life force in or out. I mix these with precious metals and stones, iridescent paint and glitter to create work with a physical, visceral impact.
VISITING INFO:
GALLERY NAME: Wordly, Wicked and Wise
ADDRESS: 81 Salusbury Road, London, NW6 6NH
AREA OF LONDON: North West London
FINAL DAY: 13th November 2022
ENTRY: Free
ARTIST INFO: https://www.joheckett.com