Mysteriously Conceived and Deeply Felt
porcelain, textiles, metal, coins, roses, water 136x134x70cm 2018

The composition of the installation is meant to reference an altar and the figure stands like the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. It is typical of Kris’ practice to draw narrative from mythology and the supernatural and to intertwine this with her personal history. In this work, the cast feet are her mother’s and the blankets were her grandfather’s. Throughout her practice, Lemsalu creates these creatures that she describes as extensions of herself - these fictional beings are surfaces of projection - like an otherworldly psychoanalyst... and also her companions. Performance is an important component of her practice and she sees her own body as a material as any other element - her costumes are often incorporated into sculptures as she steps in and out of this world of imagined creatures. In this work the viewer can engage in the performative element as well by throwing a coin into one of the bowls and making a wish - a ritual of superstition and hope that reflects/teases the reference to religion.
At the core of Kris’ practice is a sense of contrast and balance. The real and the imagined, the precious and the disposable, the living and the dead, the dark and the humorous. On a formal level this is reflected in the materials as well - the porcelain lips in this work for example are lucious and incredibly detailed. The cheap plastic crown from a costume shop is placed on top of the precious fragile porcelain.

Conceived for Koppe Astner presentation for Condo London at Sadie Coles, London, 2018. Further shown at Mavra art space, Berlin, and GAK (Gesellschaft für Aktuelle Kunst), Bremen.