The Threshold of Presence

The Threshold of Presence presents a new body of sculptural work by C L Davies, exploring belonging, emotional displacement and the quiet tension between being physically present and feeling unseen. Rooted in personal experiences of abandonment and vulnerability, Davies considers how moments of disconnection shape our relationships with ourselves, with others and with the spaces we inhabit.

Through a dialogue between bodily forms, architectural fragments and fragile materials, Davies brings together plaster, broken concrete, slumped glass and dense textiles to give physical form to the shifting boundaries between presence and absence, connection and isolation. Fractured surfaces and softened contours hold traces of rupture and fragility, while glass and fibre bend around and respond to these structures, suggesting the ways we adapt, protect ourselves and seek refuge.

Moving between strength and vulnerability, permanence and change, the sculptures occupy an uncertain space in which material and emotion become intertwined. Rather than offering a fixed narrative, The Threshold of Presence invites a quieter reflection on the desire to be recognised, understood and to find a sense of belonging.

C. L. Davies is a multidisciplinary British artist whose work spans sculpture, photography, and drawing. Born in Liberia, West Africa, she is currently based in Bedfordshire. Her practice explores themes of memory, time, and the human experience, often weaving together personal narratives with universal questions. Davies studied Glass Design at Staffordshire University, and later completed a Master’s in Fine Art at the University of Hertfordshire, where she was awarded the University Prize for academic achievement. In early 2025, she was awarded an artist bursary from the Freelands Foundation, supporting the development of her skills in glassblowing. Davies is currently a Fellow at Digswell Arts Trust.