The images of Carolein Smit (NL 1960) intentionally mislead the viewer. On the one hand, they express vanity and greed in a way that is immediately recognisable and both humorous and repulsive. Yet while her ceramic sculptures explore these treacherous themes, they are still somehow endearing. Graceful and elegant forms combine with disturbing and even vulgar motifs, creating a fascinating game of attraction and repulsion. Carolein Smit's work is characterised by a lovingly detailed treatment of the material and the humorous yet vulnerable appearance that imbues her objects.

Text courtesy Brutto Gusto.