SCHEMA 2026

Below, you will find images of the works displayed in the exhibition entitled ‘SCHEMA’ which took place at the OXO Gallery on London’s Southbank from 04 to 07 June 2026.

“Following the success of Order Through Pattern (gallery@oxo 2023), Schema marks a significant evolution in Caroline Cole’s ceramic practice. While her earlier work drew exclusively from the discipline and rigour of mathematical pattern-making, this new body of work expands into a more organic and investigative realm, rooted in the structures that underpin living systems.

 “Alongside measured geometries, the works in this exhibition explore the emergence of pattern as it appears in nature: from microscopic cellular formations to mineral growth and primordial influences. These intricate, often unseen structures are translated and meticulously handcrafted onto the surfaces of ceramic vessels. The result is a compelling dialogue between form, material and motif; between the elemental substance of Earth, and the complex geometries and living patterns that anchor the universe.

 “Cole continues to work primarily with slip-cast moulds to create multifaceted, non-circular forms. Many of these shapes retain references to primordial symbols - scarabs, menhirs and totemic structures - alongside geometries, such as discoids, frusta and triangles, yet in Schema, they feel increasingly animated. Algorithmic patterning remains central to the process, often following mathematical progressions, but now incorporating a more fluid and generative quality, evoking movement, transformation, growth and origin. 

 “Each piece is entirely unique, its surface painstakingly constructed through precise repetitions. Optical symmetries bend and shift across the forms, creating fluid perspectives that invite prolonged contemplation.”

The show was curated by Sean Mansfield and Ed Turner. It was fabricated by Lewis Foster-Jeapes; editorial was by Florence Maschietto and photography by Alex Braun.