Jesus is, Peckham, 2022
Digital print on fine bone china with 14ct gold detail
Cup: Height 58 mm & Diameter 86 mm
Saucer: Diameter 153 mm
Edition of 50
Signed and numbered by the artist
This limited-edition cup and saucer is designed by British artist Rene Matić as part of their solo exhibition upon this rock. The choice to create a bespoke cup and saucer draws on the themes of domesticity that run throughout the exhibition. Matić’s practice also engages with notions of ‘Britishness’, particularly a form of ‘Britishness’ that might attempt to deny or erase their existence.
The cup of tea has become a symbol of British identity and the history of tea in Britain is inextricably linked to empire. Equally, ceramics have a long history as tools of protest in Britain and beyond. Rather than being a neutral vessel, the humble teacup can reflect what our design choices say about our taste, values or politics.
The image chosen for the design depicts graffiti on a shop shutter in Peckham which poses the question ‘Jesus Is’. The phrase speaks to one of the exhibition’s central inquiries – a search for meaning, redemption and salvation and the different ways people find this, whether spiritual or otherwise.
This edition is produced by Duchess Fine Bone China, a company who have manufactured ceramics in England since 1888. The cup is made from fine bone china with 14ct gold detail. It comes signed by the artist and in an edition of 50.
