Graduate Work
My work for the 2014 Graduate Exhibition at the Australian National University School of Art explores the hidden parts of human anatomy using the luscious otherness of botanical forms. I used processes of repetition to create intricate detail and thus mimic nature, and developed glazes and surface treatments with contrasting textures, to give the impression of dried husks and thorns juxtaposed with ripe, glistening flesh. I used dark glazes to reference film noir and its sense of mystery, and to divorce the forms from straightforward botanical representation. Adding to the ceramic surfaces, I employed post-firing treatments such as resin and flocking to achieve glimpses of brightness. These flashes of colour tease the eye, hidden in crevices or only visible as a reflection in black glass, hinting at veiled detail and inviting closer inspection.
By abstracting biological forms, I created ceramic organisms that lie somewhere between plant and animal, with the hope of eliciting a mixed reaction of discomfort and fascination. I reinforced this abject attraction by emphasising the sexual nature of the forms, with fragile structures inspired by floral sex organs as well as carved areas that reference human genitalia. Studying the anatomy of plants, I used their queer reproductive structures as a metaphor for atypical sexuality and gender fluidity.