Emily Hamann in her Sydney studio Image credit: Isaac Maclurcan
Ceramic sculpture is a magical artistic medium. The focus, dedication and years of practise from the artist is present in every edge, curve and layer. For ceramic artist, Emily Hamann, a fascination with the contrast between soft organic forms and sharp sinuous lines underpins her breathtaking sculptural work.
After more than a decade designing for the fashion industry, Emily switched disciplines replacing the soft and often unpredictable medium of fabric with a more malleable, grounding material that is clay. The final work, often born of many failed tests, shattered forms during firing and kilograms of clay, has a softness and surety that only comes from years of creativity and hard work.
“Adopting methods from my years of designing fashion,” says Emily, “I drape, cut and manipulate slabs of earthenware clay. As a result of this process a dynamic silhouette flexes and bends in response to my hand; imitating the natural sculpting forces of cyclical wind and water.”
Emily’s ceramic sculpture ready for her debut show at Curatorial+Co.
Emily’s debut body of work will be shown in Textura, a trio show exhibited at Curatorial+Co. 21 April to 1 May. Painters Kerrie Oliver and Leonie Barton have created series of works that also interact with the theme of texture, form and pattern in fabric that will show alongside the ceramic sculpture collection.
This story was contributed by Tash Yuncken, Gallery Associate and Assistant Curator at Curatorial+Co.