Domestic goddess
MFA Postgrad Show
November 2024, National Art School, Sydney.
Part of my graduating Master of Fine Art work from the National Art School, Domestic Goddess is a collection that speaks of the pressures to be a perfect homemaker.
My work employs ceramic forms to engage with narratives of femininity, identity, and domesticity. Inspired by historic examples of women’s subversive messages hidden within textiles, my practice seeks to revive these traditions through the use of symbols masquerading as decorative patterns. Placed adjacent to a key, the pieces softly whisper to be interpreted.
Working mostly with terracotta and pigments, I often forgo glaze to highlight the matte, tactile quality of the clay surface and the subtle play of light as it caresses the curves of each sculpture. Rendered in alluring colours the works are strangely seductive, some are stacked and some cluster in groups, attempting to lure the viewer by means of a visual feast.
Whether my messages are meant to communicate with others or serve as a personal reminder, the ceramics that have emerged from this project are a meditation on the pressures to conform. Installed in intimate groups, the work calls for a reassessment of values, suggesting that meaningful connections and shared experiences hold greater significance than the superficial ideals often promoted in contemporary culture.
