Amphora, Reclaimed Vessels
SOLO EXHIBITION
RENEE BRODERS
It is with great pleasure that Studio Gallery presents the works of Renee Broders for her solo exhibition, ‘Amphora, Reclaimed Vessels.’ Join us for celebratory drinks on the night.
Opening Night | 6:00pm – 8:00pm, November 14th
Location | Studio Gallery, 3-7 Danks Street, Waterloo
Exhibition | November 14th - November 27th
‘Amphora, Reclaimed Vessels’ marks a pivotal moment in Broders’ journey: a renewed focus on her personal art practice and a public assertion of her voice. The amphora—a vessel traditionally used to carry and store precious substances—serves as a powerful metaphor for this transition. Its form, reminiscent of the womb, evokes themes of life-giving, containment, and feminine resilience, echoing Broders’ dual roles as mother and maker.
Central to Broders’ work is the reimagining of materials traditionally linked to “women’s work” and “craft.” By elevating these materials into fine art, she challenges societal hierarchies and redefines value in art-making. Her collages incorporate repurposed elements such as torn posters from building walls and women’s magazines from 1950s Germany, transforming them into rough approximations of amphorae. This process not only recycles physical materials but also reclaims narratives and histories often marginalised.
Inspired in part by the bold juxtapositions and visual language of Pop Art, Broders uses the aesthetics of mass media - particularly the stylised, idealised imagery of mid-century advertising - as a critical tool. Cut-outs from vintage German women’s magazines are positioned alongside urban detritus, creating a dialogue between nostalgia and decay, consumption and waste. This layering both embraces and critiques the seductive veneer of consumer culture, a strategy reminiscent of Pop Art’s engagement with commercial imagery, but filtered through a feminist and ecological lens.
The juxtaposition of these materials - detritus and archival ephemera—serves as a commentary on the changing role of recycling in 21st-century Western culture. Broders’ work prompts viewers to reconsider the lifecycle of materials and the stories they carry, urging reflection on consumption, domestic labour, and the potential for transformation. ‘Amphora, Reclaimed Vessels’ extends beyond personal and material narratives to address broader societal issues. The exhibition serves as a commentary on the environmental crisis, highlighting the interconnectedness of human actions, consumption, and ecological impact. By recontextualising discarded materials into art, Broders underscores themes of sustainability and the importance of reimagining our relationship with the environment. Furthermore, the exhibition engages with feminist discourse by using the amphora as a symbol of female agency and resilience. Having grown up in a world where women’s contributions have often been undervalued or overlooked, Broders’ work asserts the significance of women’s roles in both creation and care. The act of reclaiming materials mirrors the reclamation of narratives and spaces for women in the art world and beyond.
Renee Broders’ ‘Amphora, Reclaimed Vessels’ is more than an exhibition; it is a testament to personal transformation, material innovation, and a call to reconsider our environmental and cultural narratives. Through the lens of the amphora, Broders invites viewers to reflect on motherhood, identity, recycling, and the reshaping of historical tropes. Drawing inspiration from the visual strategies of Pop Art while grounding her practice in lived experience and material recovery, Broders offers a timely and layered body of work, meaningfully to ongoing conversations about sustainability, feminism, and the evolving language of contemporary art.
‘Amphora, Reclaimed Vessels' will run from November 14th - November 27th 2025 at 3-7 Danks Street, Waterloo
