Leena Similu
presented in collaboration with Frances May
August 2020
In August 2020, Fourteen30 Contemporary and Frances May are thrilled to collaborate on the presentation of work by Los Angeles based ceramicist Leena Similu. New pieces by Similu will be showcased by our two Portland-based storefronts, available to view in person and online.
Inspired by her West African heritage, and her son Cosmo, Similu’s work explores matriarchy, power femininity and fertility through pieces created under the moniker Yaya Situation. We were inspired to collaborate with Similu, as the artist has evolved within art and fashion, having worked designers Stella McCartney and Jil Sander before launching her own line Les Chiffoniers, and eventually making her way to clay. “I discovered ceramics when I was pregnant with my son three years ago and thinking about origins and the heritage I could pass on to him,” the L.A.-based British transplant says.
Leena Similu is an artist, and Founder: The Chronicles of LA, Les Chiffoniers Ltd.; former Vice President, Design, Equipment; Design Consultancy, Belstaff, Topshop, St John Knits; Head Designer Womenswear, Jil Sander; Design Director Womenswear, Stella McCarthy. She has recently exhibited at Loloma Projects, Pasadena. She lives and works in Los Angeles.
During her stay in Portland, Similu will collaborate with florist Manu Torres, whose brilliant multi-media arrangements have gathered national attention. In an Artforum critic’s pick, Stephanie Snyder describes a Torres arrangement: “ribbons fall across flower stems and branches while swaths of brushy vegetation and vibrant paper fronds are interspersed with traditional organic greenery.”
Since 2008, Fourteen30 Contemporary and Frances May have brought newfound and established voices forward, in art and fashion respectively. Our collaborations aim to bridge gaps between art, fashion, and design in Portland and beyond.