Max Lehman
DETAILS:
American, b. 1962
“I’m interested in clay as a way to build forms that feel alive, shifting, and in motion.”
– Max Lehman
Max Lehman is a ceramic sculptor based in Nambe, New Mexico whose work explores form, movement, and transformation through richly textured, hand-built clay structures. Drawing on a background in media arts, installation, and performance, his practice brings a sense of animation and physicality to ceramic surface and structure.
Biography
Originally from Fort Knox, Kentucky, Max Lehman is a ceramic sculptor currently based in Nambe, New Mexico. He studied media arts at Arizona State University, with a background that includes video production, installation, and performance art, all of which inform the dynamic, interdisciplinary character of his ceramic practice. Lehman’s sculptures are defined by their expressive surfaces, tactile complexity, and a strong sense of movement, transforming clay into forms that feel both architectonic and organic.
Lehman’s work is represented by galleries and presented through his studio practice, where his sculptural language continues to evolve. His ceramics reflect an ongoing interest in material transformation and the emotional potential of form, balancing structure with spontaneity and weight with fluidity.
My work begins with clay, but it’s really about movement, transformation, and the energy a form can carry. I’m drawn to the tension between structure and spontaneity, and to the way surface, texture, and contour can make a sculpture feel alive.”
– Max Lehman