Tessa Silva is a London-based artist and furniture designer creating sculptural works, bespoke furniture and spatial commissions for galleries, brands and private clients. Her practice considers our collective use of materials from ancient times to the present day, rooted in a deep investigation of material culture and embodied labour, with a particular focus on the domestic and craft traditions historically associated with women.

Tessa approaches her practice as a designer of processes, inventing and adapting techniques through research into historical making. Storytelling is key; each piece draws on narratives passed down through generations, using craft to give these stories sculptural form. The resulting objects carry the memory of their making. Though supple and tender in form, they foster a dialogue on sustainability and modern waste while resonating with a broader history of exploitation.

Tessa holds an MA from the Royal College of Art. Her work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna, and Collect Fair at Somerset House. She has delivered lectures on her practice at the V&A, Henry Moore Studios, and for the British Council, and is a guest lecturer at The Bartlett and Kingston University.

Photo by Kane Hulse