Cavaliero Finn is proud to present, “Brain Tumour Book” a solo exhibition of artwork by Leah Jensen at the Fitzrovia Chapel in London from Friday 17th – 26th April 2026. The exhibition features artwork that chronicles the artist’s journey through her recent brain tumour diagnosis and treatment.
DATES
TIME
11am to 6pm Monday – Saturday
Late night Thursday until 8pm
12pm to 5pm Sunday
Through intricate embroidered stitch-work and layered imagery, Leah transforms her vulnerability into visual poetry, offering visitors to the exhibition a window into her process of fear, resilience, acceptance, and hope. A series of artworks will be available for sale to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity, Leah’s chosen charity.
Like Louise Bourgeois and Tracey Emin, Leah reveals her darkest and lightest moments through her work with humour, sensitivity and an inspiring philosophical approach.
In September 2020 Leah was unable to focus and lost her ability to speak at work. She was rushed to hospital where they discovered an aggressive brain tumour.
During her long stay in hospital, Leah faced her fears and started to reflect on life and death. Being largely bedridden, she was unable to work with clay, a medium for which she is critically acclaimed. Instead, she turned to embroidery, or drawing with thread, to help her process the complex emotions she was experiencing.
Every emotion, thought, memory and feeling has been captured in her deeply personal Brain Tumour Book that is still ongoing, as she deals with a potentially uncertain future. Each check-up and brain scan she goes for brings a sense of dread but Leah has such a calm sense of acceptance and positivity that shines through her work which articulates the ups and downs of her life-changing diagnosis.
Alongside the presentation of Leah’s Brain Tumour book will be a series of limited editions taken from the book to raise funds for the Brain Tumour Charity and raise awareness of how the illness affects those dealing with it. Leah is well aware of others going through the same situation and is sensitive to how her work will be viewed by them. She is clear she doesn’t want to invoke any fear from this show and intends to imbue honesty and hope in her work.
Also featuring in the exhibition will be a clay vessel that Leah created during what must have been the early onset of her tumour, at a time when she was having severe headaches. Normally, a specific renaissance painting is a starting point for the work but in this case, she has no memory of making this vessel and she has no idea of the source of inspiration for it. This ‘mystery pot’ stands as testament to a major change in her life and health. The mystery pot will be the starting point of the exhibition.
In addition to producing the book, the artist has also developed a series of quilts and an embroidered pillow both of which will be on display at the exhibition. There will also be a collection of embroidered handkerchiefs on show. Leah has collected these over her lifetime and they feature some of the artist’s one-off embroidered drawings and artworks. These will be available for sale alongside the limited edition print to raise funds for the Brain Tumour Charity.
Hear Leah’s Story
DONATE HERE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THIS CHARITABLE EXHIBITION AND THE BRAIN TUMOUR CHARITY
ABOUT
Leah Jensen (b. Truro, UK 1990) graduated in Contemporary Crafts from Falmouth University in 2014. Exhibitions include New Craftsman, London (2017); The National Gallery, London (2017); and New Designers, London (2015). “I use ceramics as a canvas, as a surface on which to explore ideas surrounding mathematics and art. Deconstructing Renaissance paintings to their fundamental elements, unearthing hidden geometric structures that reside beneath the surface. I carve each vessel by hand with an aim to increase the complexity and precision of detail to appear mechanically manufactured. I call this aesthetic ‘anti-digital’. The patterns derived from each painting are determined by significant points in the image, which are mapped onto the surface of the vessels using pins and paper. The holes left behind dictate where I carve, generating an added challenge by creating irregular intervals in the surfaces.
“I combine materials in order to produce the highest possible contrast in colour and texture: clean, smooth, white porcelain against dark, burnt wood; grogged clay partially covered by a glassy shell. Juxtaposed to toy with the idea of producing a subtle feeling of discomfort in the viewer. Carving each vessel by hand is a very slow and meditative process that allows space for reflection. Once the vessel is complete the narrative is hidden, just as structure of the painting before it.”
Instagram: @leah.jensen
Founded in 2004, Cavaliero Finn has built a quietly formidable reputation as one of Britain’s most discerning galleries, championing contemporary artists and makers who value originality, craft and enduring beauty over passing trends. Every piece in its portfolio is chosen for one reason: it has to be worth keeping.
The gallery represents a carefully considered range of emerging, mid-career and established artists, and has placed work in some of the UK’s most prestigious museum collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, and Manchester Art Gallery.
Beyond its online gallery, Cavaliero Finn brings work directly to audiences through a programme of pop-up exhibitions in London, held in carefully chosen venues and often as part of Crafting A Difference, a collaboration between five of the UK’s leading craft galleries, including Vessel Gallery, Ting Ying, MADEINBRITALY and jaggedart. These events are complemented by participation in major art fairs including the London Art Fair, Collect, and Artefact at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.
At its heart, Cavaliero Finn remains exactly what it was when it began: a passion project. Founders Juliana Cavaliero and Debra Finn met studying art at Warwick University and have run the gallery together ever since. Juliana brought a decade of experience in the contemporary art world, including time at the Anthony d’Offay Gallery in London; Debra arrived from a career in PR, having reached board level at Consolidated, where she worked across the Virgin Group. Between them, they bring an instinct for quality that no algorithm could replicate.
Website: https://cavalierofinn.com
Accessability
Outside the Chapel, there are two steps, which have a built-in wheelchair lift. The Chapel is wheelchair accessible. The majority is on one level, and there is a ramp that can be used to access the chancel (altar area). We have a fully accessible toilet. View more accessibility information
OUR CULTURAL PROGRAMME
Since 2016, we have collaborated with artists, curators, and institutions to present a programme of exhibitions that often reflects our history as the chapel for the Middlesex Hospital.
