Regenerative
Regenerative is Darren Emenau’s newest body of sculptural work that explores the meeting point between the natural world and technology. It positions craft as an evolving practice shaped by material experimentation, environmental systems, and contemporary technological influence. The work builds on his ongoing interest in contrast—between organic form and industrial surface, fragility and strength, and the relationship between living systems and manufactured materials.
The project is made up of over 120 modular sculptures that vary in size. Each piece can stand on its own, but together they form a larger installation displayed on both plinths and walls. Arranged in groups, the works create a shifting landscape that changes as viewers move through the space. The installation moves between dense accumulations and open intervals, encouraging both close inspection and broader spatial reading.
The sculptures are primarily made of porcelain, combined with acrylic, natural fibres, and metal leaf such as gold, silver, and copper. Soft, matte surfaces sit alongside reflective metallic areas, while carved voids and smooth curves create a sense of movement across each form. Layered colours and textures shift with light and perspective, encouraging the viewer to investigate closer.
This body of work marks an expansion in Emenau’s practice through the integration of new materials and techniques. Ongoing experimentation has deepened his understanding of surface and structure, while opening up new ways to consider the relationship between craft, ecology, and contemporary life. Drawing on the language of abstraction—particularly the attention to colour and perception seen in the work of Joseph Albers and Mark Rothko—the work remains firmly grounded in material and process.
At its core, Regenerative is about change and adaptation. The work reflects a world in flux, where natural and human-made systems are increasingly intertwined. Rather than positioning craft as something fixed or traditional, this project approaches craft as an evolving practice—one that can respond to current conditions while still holding a connection to material, process, and place.
Materials and Media
Porcelain, acrylic, wool fibres, metal leaf (gold, silver, copper), lusters, MNO glazes.
