Page 31 - S/ Summer 2023

Photo courtesy of Naomi Gilon.
N aomi Gilon grew up in an abundantly creative environment—one where she was actively involved with theatre, photography, the arts, and styling filling her time. Raised by an interior designer mother, Gilon was encouraged to follow her artistic passions and execute her visions. Today, a multidisciplinary artist, Gilon creates ceramic and sculptural artworks that challenge our perception of everyday objects while playfully moulding our concept of beauty. With her childhood nurturance fueling her confidence, Gilon’s creation of monstrous sculptures sits comfortably in a space between gore and sensuality.
Through her art, Gilon hopes to evoke themes of human complexity, the growth of societal developments, and the infinity of imagination.
Her fascination with imaginative notions stems from her love for science fiction literature and films. “Science fiction was born to offer a new frontier to people, beyond the past and present.” In her eyes, the mythological genre challenges what we come to fear and desire while reframing societal structures, and with her creations, Gilon hopes to evoke a similar feeling— one that probes reflection through anthropomorphic objects.
The inviting nature of clay, primarily its shine and malleability, drew Gilon to experiment with the medium. The material is delicate yet easily shaped, evoking tension and fluidity. “The complex conversion from the mental idea to a real object demonstrates the endless possibility of giving clay shape.” Seeing the creations of the mind manifest or come to life offers a sense of creative satisfaction. Further, clay requires an element
of science to build and mould, further attracting Gilon to the practice. “The preparation of enamels calls for knowledge of chemistry, and I love science. I almost pursued science.” Although theologies and science fiction overlap to motivate Gilon’s sculptures, somehow, a smudge of emotional tension underlies.
A recurring motif in Gilon’s work is her use of elongated claws and monstrous paws. This cathartic symbol evident in her ceramic handbags, showcase Gilon’s cinematic references and curiosity. In collaboration with Danish fashion house Han Kjøbenhavn, Gilon experimented with textiles to produce wearable, sculptural art. In this project, she used fabrics as
she would clay, to create an evocative gown. “Grip Dress,” the infamous garment Julia Fox wore to the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, features a neckline of a clawed hand closing around the wearer’s throat, and harnesses Gilon’s fascination with ownership. In Gilon’s words, the piece “captures the dramatic feeling in response to how we felt during the pandemic, where we were subject to things we couldn’t control or the creatures that pursued us...always present, somewhere in the shadow of our mind.”
Despite internal and external restrictions that may choke our ability to create, Gilon asserts that “strongly believing in yourself is how we gain confidence in our abilities. This allows us to move forward more serenely.” Her wisdom reminds us that many of our beliefs only restrict our creative progress, hindering our personal evolution.
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