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Zoya Smirnova’s Sculptural Collection

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"We are proud to offer art lovers and collectors the opportunity to own works from such a talented and innovative artist."

— The Thomas-Ferdinand Gallery

Dateline: London, UK – 02 February, 2025

The Thomas-Ferdinand Gallery is delighted to announce the release of emerging UK artist Zoya Smirnova’s debut sculptural collection, marking a bold new chapter in her multidisciplinary artistic journey.

With a background in fashion design and tailoring, Zoya’s artistry is deeply informed by her mastery of structure, detail, and transformation. Guided by an exploration into “dark beauty” and the overlooked, Zoya’s transition into sculpture offers a tactile and deeply personal engagement with her art. Her sculptural pieces are rich with emotional charge and technical intricacy.

Rather than imposing a fixed narrative, Zoya allows her materials and intuition to guide her, ensuring each work carries a unique identity.

The Blue Boy, 2023 · Zoya Smirnova · Earthenware Clay, Earthenware Glaze · 23cm (l), 11cm, (w), 33cm (h) · © Zoya Smirnova

The Overthinker, 2023 · Zoya Smirnova · Earthenware Clay, Underglaze · 25cm (l), 15cm, (w), 29cm (h) · © Zoya Smirnova

A Trio of Stories in Clay

Zoya’s foray into sculpture stemmed from her desire to create art that invites deeper interaction. Working with clay has become an intimate and meditative process, allowing her to connect directly with the medium and let narratives emerge organically.

Influenced by her background in pattern-cutting and fashion design, Zoya employs the slab technique to transform flat clay into three-dimensional forms. This process mirrors her broader artistic philosophy – finding beauty in imperfections and using her hands to breathe life into the overlooked and unconventional.

 

The Overthinker

In ‘The Overthinker’, Zoya Smirnova creates a protagonist whose inner state is open to interpretation. Are they lost in deep contemplation or weighed down by the burden of mental anguish?

Inspired by Rodin’s ‘The Burghers of Calais’, in this work, Zoya sought to capture the mastery required to convey human emotion and complexity through the subtle nuances of facial expression.

During the firing process, an unexpected event occurred: a section of the sculpture’s head detached, revealing the interior – a symbolic “skull” beneath the surface. Rather than viewing this as a flaw, Zoya embraced it as an opportunity to deepen the narrative. This unplanned yet apt detail was painted a vivid red – a reminder of the raw pain and intensity that overthinking can inflict.

 

Phoenix in the Night Sky

‘Phoenix in the Night Sky’ is an exploration of the basics of the human form. During her research process, Zoya was fascinated by how mannequins imitate humanity – abstracting our features while retaining a sense of familiarity and presence. This exploration of minimalism and abstraction forms the foundation of the piece.

The sculpture’s defining feature is the bold red glaze on the exterior, aptly named Red Flame, which charges the work with energy and vitality.  The fiery hue ignited the vision of the Phoenix, a symbol of renewal and transformation, with the black speckled glaze of the interior providing a poetic angle to the work – a representation of the vastness and mystery of the night sky.

This interplay reflects the multiple dichotomies of life: destruction and creation, chaos and serenity, light and darkness. The Phoenix therefore exists not only in fiery renewal but also in the quiet, expansive moments of reflection and potential.

 

The Blue Boy

Embodying a delicate duality, ‘The Blue Boy’ balances timidity with boldness. His quiet posture is contrasted by his striking blue tones and vibrant highlights of orange freckles.

As one of multidisciplinary artist Zoya Smirnova’s first ceramic busts, ‘The Blue Boy’ represents a significant milestone in her artistic journey, showcasing her exploration of both technical skill and emotional depth. While working on this piece, Zoya discovered the transformative potential of the slab technique – shaping flat pieces of clay into dynamic, three-dimensional forms. Through the process, she embraced the intuitive nature of sculpting, finding beauty in the subtle adjustments that brought the piece to life.

Small changes – the tilt of the head, the direction of the gaze, or the styling of the hair – revealed the storytelling power of the medium. Each deliberate choice infused the sculpture with personality and narrative, allowing ‘The Blue Boy’ to emerge organically from the clay.


 

Represented exclusively by The Thomas-Ferdinand Gallery, Zoya’s sculptures and still life prints are available for purchase directly through the gallery’s website.

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