Somerset House Studios: Inés Cámara Leret

Inés Cámara Leret's work examines ideas central to the fields of identity, memory and ecology exploring life through materials that are static, at times inert, or seemingly ephemeral. This approach has led her to collaborate with experts whose knowledge ranges in diverse subject matters including: chemists, physicists, crystallographers, biologists, and botanists. In the past, she has recorded breaths on a limestone’s memory, grown crystals from her own saliva, captured rainfall using asphalt and exposed the term ‘light’ to 342 year’s worth of radiance, the time elapsed since light was first measured.

Throughout her work Inés combines a strong research approach with a highly experimental making process. Sparked by an inherent curiosity towards materials research takes the shape of many forms and is of processual nature. In the past this has included simple experiments, observational studies, sifting through archives and interviewing those with academic and traditional knowledge. After a variety of source material is collected narratives begin to arise that thread apparently distant subject matters defining the conceptual framework of each work. This cross-disciplinary way of working allows for new relationships to be established providing alternative insights.

Inés has exhibited internationally and nationally and has worked with institutions like: King’s College London, Drugo More, Abandon Normal Devices, MU Artspace, Royal College of Art, Science Gallery London and the Museum of Contemporary Art of León in Spain, MUSAC. Since 2016 she is a resident at Somerset House Studios from where she continues to develop her practice.