Jane Macfarlane
Artist Statement
Working under the moniker of ‘The Sourcerer’ as a collector of 20th Century Studio Ceramics, Jane scours marginal sites of consumerism, such as car boot sales and flea markets. She sees these places as democratic sites of commerce where the object connects directly to the consumer, not through the strategic marketing methods of mainstream commerce, but through an emotional patina that resides within the object.
Sourcing ceramic treasures for her own collection has led to fortuitous discoveries that Jane uses to inform a socially engaged art practice. Embracing a circular economy where exchange is negotiated through conversation and face to face interaction, narratives emerge that transform the transaction and open up new potentials for exploration. Each transaction is a fusion of empathic connection practices.
Drawing on these serendipitous encounters, Jane uses curatorial, making and value strategies to reveal the emotional legacies of found collections. She creates environments that invite connection through authentic and incidental conversation, embracing the hope of democracy and the spirit of empathy.