Irja Boden –
Hedgerow: Where Growth Resists

 Irja Bodén’s ceramic sculptures are created by stacking wheel-thrown vessel forms that are cut and reassembled into new structures. The Hedgerow series is inspired by the untended hedgerow bordering the artist’s studio. These ceramic vessels draw from the tangled coexistence of old and new growth, focusing on invasive vines that can overwhelm surrounding vegetation. For Bodén, these forms become metaphors for the ongoing erosion of women’s rights. The open, bottomless blue interiors of her vessels evoke life, freedom, and resistance, underscoring growth as a contested and fragile condition. Her gel plate prints on paper reference the internal and external landscapes of the ceramic works. Read More »

Irja Bodén grew up in northern Sweden. Her artwork addresses environmental issues and explores the connection between interior spaces and external experiences. Her sculptures incorporate elements from the natural world, utilizing broken and cracked pieces with surfaces that feature imprints of Arctic flowers, which appear as if they are frozen in place.

Bodén received a BFA in visual art from SUNY Potsdam, and a BA in social science from Lund University, Sweden. She currently resides in Columbia County, New York, and maintains an active studio practice.