Coming Undone - Ceramics by Jo Harris

This exhibition delves into the complex and often conflicting relationship between the inner psychological worlds of women and the roles that society continues to impose upon them. It examines how identity is shaped, constrained, and at times fractured by expectations that have been passed down through generations.

Using black clay as a primary medium, the work gives physical form to emotional and psychological states that are often difficult to articulate. The material itself—earthy, dense, and unyielding—becomes a metaphor for both the weight of external pressures and the resilience required to endure them. Figurative forms emerge, embodying tension, vulnerability, and strength, capturing what it can feel like to navigate the space between who one is internally and who one is expected to be.

The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on how these pressures manifest in subtle and overt ways, and how the inner psyche responds, adapts, or pushes back. While contexts may shift, the underlying struggle for autonomy, self-definition, and emotional truth remains ongoing.

Jo Harris is an Auckland-based artist whose practice revolves around the theme of the authenticity of self and the masks we wear. A multimedia artist, Jo employs a range of materials in her work, including ceramics, recycled, and found objects, creating pieces that transcend traditional mediums.

Jo’s work is deeply invested in the tension between public and private expressions of the human experience. Her art invites viewers to reflect on the masks they wear in their own lives. At the core of Jo’s artistic journey is a search for an authentic space for herself—an endeavour that resonates deeply within her work.

It is her hope that through engaging with her art, viewers will find a connection to their own sense of authenticity. In doing so, they may gain insight into their personal journeys and reflect on the ways in which art can mirror and expand our understanding of the self.