In Negotiation, 2026
‘In Negotiation’ a new series of large-scale ceramic sculptures at the Casa Romana di Spoleto, one of the best preserved Roman houses in Italy.
The sculptures resemble massive stacked organisms and are formed by abstract motifs referencing body parts. Uniquely, the organisms are sculpted simultaneously by the members of the collective.
Their forms emerge through a series of fraught exchanges in which the artists pinch, press and knead the clay structures, testing their own intentions against those of the group.
Understanding the dynamics of group action is central to jocjonjosch’s work: “Our practice focuses on the individual’s experiences of connection and disconnection within the group. In this context and throughout our work, the human body serves as a motif – reminding us of our humanness, not as an abstract concept but as real, physical, emotional beings in relationship with each other and the world around us.” In our climate of environmental and social crisis, the ‘In Negotiation’ sculptures urgently visualise the dynamics of collective living while asking pressing questions – Why we are prone to conflict? Where might we find empathy? ‘In Negotiation’ challenges audiences to think about sculpture in new terms – as the product of a negotiation between individuals, and an illustration of the conflicts and concordances that arise in the process.
In Negotiation at Case Romana di Spoleto, 2026
In Negotiation at Case Romana di Spoleto, 2026
In Negotiation at Case Romana di Spoleto, 2026
The project has been developed through the Mahler & LeWitt Studios residency program in Spoleto. The scale of the sculptures and the unique collaborative processes have required the collaboration of ceramicists in London and Umbria.
Additional support from Nicole Beutler Projects and Horizon Foundation.
