Ceramics artist Sara Flynn is making waves at Loewe’s Miami boutique

Jonathan Anderson is a master curator when it comes to weaving together disparate mediums. As Andrew Bonacina said of the ‘Disobedient Bodies’ exhibition he co-curated with Anderson earlier this year, the Irish designer ‘brings things together in a way that’s expansive and promiscuous’.
The same can be said of the diverse inventory of objects currently on show at Loewe’s Miami boutique. ‘Chance Encounters III’ attests to Anderson’s eclectic curatorial vision. It’s the third in a series of exhibitions established by the Loewe Foundation, that brings together artists from various disciplines in the hopes of promoting unexpected conversations.
The latest showcase includes specially made ceramic vessels by Irish artist (and Loewe Craft Prize 2017 finalist) Sara Flynn, seen in relation to photography of 1930s Ceylon by Sri Lankan artist Lionel Wendt, and a renowned 1975 fabric sculpture by Richard Smith. The works surround an imposing 18th-century Spanish granary that runs the length of the boutique.
More than simply aggregating variant objects, Anderson’s curatorial method is nuanced, balanced and trusting of his artists. ‘In terms of the brief, Jonathan didn’t ask me to make work in response to the other makers,’ Flynn explains. ‘Instead, he wanted me to respond to the space. He didn’t want me to be derivative or try to link the three artists together in a false way.’
‘Esker’ vessel, by Sara Flynn, 2017, for the Loewe Foundation
Held together and framed by the granary structure, a kind of effortless conversation exists between the works. Each bares an understanding of how three-dimensional forms interact with the space around them. Wendt’s dynamic portraits, for example, carry a dancerly sensitivity of how the body displaces the air, reflected in the ripples and contours of Flynn’s manipulated ceramics. Likewise, Smith’s protruding ‘kite painting’ juts out into the gallery, its contoured structures exploring the tension between volume and surface.
To wit, each work is preoccupied with craftsmanship. Flynn adopts an organic, almost folkloric approach. Her vessels are thrown on the potters wheel to start with, in ‘a method steeped in tradition’. Then they’re ‘cut, pushed, reassembled and stuck back together’. The resulting asymmetrical forms appear to shift and change as the surface unfolds.
Flynn has had a ‘lifelong love affair’ with clay. ‘I’ve been making clay pots for upwards of 20 years,’ she says, ‘and the clay is still the boss.’ Materiality is of the upmost importance to her – something she believes Anderson understands better than anyone. ‘Loewe have these master craftsmen working with the most incredible leather. His relationship with high quality materials is a real common thread between our works.’
More from Design Miami 2017
Explore the top 20 exhibitions and satellite events from Design Miami 2017
ICA Miami’s new home has all the right angles
For its tenth foray at Design Miami, Fendi teams up on living room furniture by Chiara Andreatti
‘Chance Encounters III’ features ceramic vessels by Sara Flynn, arranged on the 18th century granary
From left, two Double-spine camber vessels; two Spine camber vessels; two Double-spine camber vessels; two Spine camber vessels, by Sara Flynn, 2017
Young Man with Fishing Net, by Lionel Wendt, 1935
Shoulder vessels, by Sara Flynn, 2017
From left, Faceted Esker vessel; Flection vessel; Spine camber vessel; Flection vessel, by Sara Flynn, 2017
Double-spine camber vessel, by Sara Flynn, 2017
INFORMATION
‘Chance Encounters III’ runs from until 24 January. For more information, visit the Loewe website
Follow our live report from Design Miami and Art Basel Miami Beach 2017
ADDRESS
Loewe
Miami Design District
110 NE 39th Street
Miami
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
-
America’s first all-electric travel trailer broadens its range with two new models
The Lightship AE.1 Atmos and Panos are the two newest trim lines for this ground-breaking streamlined travel trailer, an airy design with integrated electric powertrain for added mileage and quiet camping
-
Step inside Acne Studios’ pink-hued Tokyo flagship
Acne Studios contrasts sharp minimalism with soft touches at its playful new Tokyo flagship, designed in collaboration with Swedish studio Halleroed
-
At Rubra, thrilling tropical cuisine comes courtesy of the youngest World’s Best Female Chef
At chef Daniela Soto-Innes’ exceptional restaurant in Mexico’s Punta de Mita, the cooking is as ambitious as the view
-
Rolf Sachs’ largest exhibition to date, ‘Be-rühren’, is a playful study of touch
A collection of over 150 of Rolf Sachs’ works speaks to his preoccupation with transforming everyday objects to create art that is sensory – both emotionally and physically
-
Architect Erin Besler is reframing the American tradition of barn raising
At Art Omi sculpture and architecture park, NY, Besler turns barn raising into an inclusive project that challenges conventional notions of architecture
-
What is recycling good for, asks Mika Rottenberg at Hauser & Wirth Menorca
US-based artist Mika Rottenberg rethinks the possibilities of rubbish in a colourful exhibition, spanning films, drawings and eerily anthropomorphic lamps
-
12 things not to miss at Art Basel 2025
Art Basel is bigger and better than ever. Avoid overwhelm, follow our definite what-to-see guide at this year's event (19-22 June)
-
San Francisco’s controversial monument, the Vaillancourt Fountain, could be facing demolition
The brutalist fountain is conspicuously absent from renders showing a redeveloped Embarcadero Plaza and people are unhappy about it, including the structure’s 95-year-old designer
-
See the fruits of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely's creative and romantic union at Hauser & Wirth Somerset
An intimate exhibition at Hauser & Wirth Somerset explores three decades of a creative partnership
-
Meet the Art Basel Awards 2025 winners
The inaugural Art Basel Awards 2025 winners have been announced, celebrating a wide array of artistic practices shaping the future of art
-
The alternative art fairs championing emerging artists
The lower barrier to entry to these smaller and specialist art fairs make them hubs of grassroots creativity, allowing emerging names to establish a foothold in the industry