News Archive

Fernando Casasempere - Installation of 'Under the Forest'

15 May 2007

Fernando Casasempere (b. 1958), Under the Forest (2006)
ceramic, 3.5 m high
Installed in May 2007

Fernando Casasempere's Under the Forest, which was commissioned by the Jerwood Foundation for Jerwood Sculpture in early 2006, has been successfully installed at Ragley and will be unveiled in June 2007.


With his strong interest in the environment, Fernando created five vast forest-like forms that  blend with the surrounding trees and change with the seasons. 'I try to work with the landscape and melt into it rather than conquer it', says Fernando. ‘I wanted the trunks to mix in with the forest ... in the summer they would take on the natural branches of the surrounding trees and in the winter echo their naked form.'

To create Under the Forest Fernando spent six months in 2006 at Baggeridge Brick's Sedgley factory. He worked with local West Midlands clay mixed with clay and industrial waste materials shipped over from his native Chile. Measuring around three metres in height the forms only just fitted into Baggeridge's twenty metre long industrial kiln and are a unique and extraordinary technical achievement, taking ceramic sculpture to a new level.

Fernando Casasempere

Fernando Casasempere was born in Santiago. Fascinated by Central and South American Pre-Columbian ceramics from the 16th century, he left Chile in his early twenties to undertake a Masters in Ceramics at the University of Barcelona in Spain. After five years of study he returned to Chile and in 1997 he moved to London.

Using the technical knowledge acquired through his studies, Fernando has developed a unique clay mix for his sculptures. Having a strong interest in protecting the environment he adds industrial waste, such as nickel and copper residues from mining operations, to his clay. A strong relationship with the National Society of Mining in Chile, which represents the country's private mining companies, has allowed him access to these materials and enables him to experiment with different hues and textures.

Fernando has exhibited extensively in the U.K, elsewhere in Europe, and in north and south America. His work can be found collections around the world including: Shell Collection, Chile; Ladeco Collection, Chile; Coca-Cola Museum, Atlanta; and Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Fernando lives and works in London.

For more information about Fernando Casasempere visit www.fernandocasasempere.com