Above: Rhonda Muller, Embrace, 2023. Stoneware-Engobes. Various sizes up to 40cm. $150-$350 each. Photo: Greg Piper Creative. Courtesy: the artist.
“My sculptures remind us that human connection can be boundless”, says Sydney-based artist Rhonda Muller, “the invisible threads of emotion that bind us all”. Seeking to consider notions of physical affection and intimacy, the artist focuses on sculpture that can embody this feeling of togetherness, universalised by her use of abstraction. Embrace epitomises this, Muller explaining that the pieces “developed from the memories of years gone by, with Covid lockdowns and what it means to connect with friends and family”. Her organic vessels bulge and curve in a manner reminiscent of the human body, each finished in a white slip that emphasises the dips and rolls of their form. They lean towards each other, as if in avid conversation, or moments from embrace. The choice of clay is apt, formed physically by the hands of the artist, through the act of touch. Touch has taken on new meaning since the pandemic, directly informing Muller’s practice: “In this time of limited physical contact, we learnt to find strength in our isolation, whilst longing to hold loved ones close”. With their textural and rounded forms, these vessels practically demand to be touched – something the artist actively invites – and playfully reach out to each other, deriving their beauty from companionship.