BIO

Jules Allen was born in Forest Gate, London, and studied BA (Hons) Printmaking and Photomedia at the University of Hertfordshire, followed by an MA in Fine Art at Norwich University of the Arts. Since 2002, she has lived and worked in North Norfolk. Allen is a multidisciplinary artist working across sculpture, printmaking, painting, and bookbinding. She is best known for her sculptural book objects, for which she utilises the book as both a material source and conceptual form, bridging ancient craft techniques with contemporary practice.

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Allen's artistic practice is characterized by an engagement with museum collections and historically significant sites, reflecting her deep connection with the past and traditional craft skills. Her work demonstrates a reverence for the natural world and humanity's place within it, employing responsibly sourced materials such as leather, wood, handmade paper, and inks derived from natural plant and mineral pigments. 

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She contemplates the expansive nature of thought, imagination, memory, and knowledge through her exploration of 'the meaningful object.' and investigates how the objects we keep serve as markers of cultural, personal and collective histories. 

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Her installations frequently include symbolic use of monochromatic color, assemblies of found and made objects housed in contemporary cabinets

of curiosity, and ephemeral works that appear fragile and yet display an inherent resilience.

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Jules Allen has exhibited widely, including at the Bodleian Library and the John Innes Research Centre. Her works are held in prestigious collections such as BooksOnBooks, Oxford; Leeds University Library; and Asagaya College of Arts and Design, Tokyo. Allen has participated in residencies at Grafikens Hus, Wysing Arts, and Limberhurst Press, and contributed to the Art Libraries Conference 2023.