Jo Gibbs : Smashed

About

Arresting art works made from abandoned materials found on skips and street corners. Artist Jo Gibbs “transforms the unwanted to the sublime” (Vogue), with sculptures and collages that are a brilliant mix of fun, politics, surrealism and surprises. Her latest collection includes slates that billow with beautiful etching, old mirrors transformed into optical worlds, a (found) chair with spinning avocado balls inspired by an Italian expletive, convex, gilded and foxed mirrors made from saucepan lids, and animal trophy heads created from food packaging. The common theme is a passion for the environment, recycling, and sustainable materials.

“Jo Gibbs breathes new life into humdrum objects with a gentle delicacy that gives them new meaning. The success of this kind of work depends on a great eye and a sensitive approach.” Kevin McCloud, Grand Designs

Jo Gibbs trained at Chelsea School of Art in Textile Design and graduated as a Master of Arts with a distinction. Global lifestyle brand Anthropologie bought her entire degree show of etched slates, Bauhaus chairs and mirrors, for their gallery in New York’s Rockefeller Centre. Since then her work has been featured extensively in the magazines such as Country Homes and Interiors, Metro, At Casa, Evening Standard, Selvedge, Living Etc and Mix.

She has been selected for London Design Week, as one of Kevin McCloud’s Green Heroes, and shown at The King’s Foundation’s ‘Arts and Crafts House’ and ‘Best of Britain’ exhibitions. Jo has worked in Italy as a textile designer for haute couture fashion houses Armani, Dries Van Noten and Lacroix. Since 2012 she has worked as an independent designer and artist from her studio in Stockwell, London. She has sold and displayed work for businesses including Wahaca, Peddlars, Bskincare and Paul Smith, and most recently The Lansdowne Club in Mayfair