Anna Riess, 'rosy-cheeked dreamer', ceramic object, 2024




Anna Riess, 'rosy-cheeked dreamer', ceramic object, 2024
This imposing wall-mounted ceramic face (20 × 1 × 20 cm) commands attention through its textured surface and expressive form. The clay’s surface is intentionally scraped and fragmented, revealing layers beneath and evoking a sense of weathered history and vulnerability. Bold, rose-colored cheeks bring warmth and a striking focal point, contrasting with the raw, tactile quality of the scraped clay.
The sculpture’s presence is both raw and tender—an embodiment of fragmented identity and emotional complexity. Its fractured surface invites viewers to consider how we carry the marks of experience and memory, while the flushed cheeks hint at feelings of embarrassment, warmth, or vitality.
Crafted with ritual and interaction in mind, a small opening at the mouth holds incense sticks, while the surrounding area can accommodate candles or other objects of personal significance. Two discreet holes in the ears allow for secure mounting with golden nails, integrating function with a subtle touch of ornamentation.
Through this layered, imperfect visage, Anna Riess encourages a contemplative encounter—one that embraces both fragility and resilience at the crossroads of self-perception, ritual, and emotional expression.
Anna Riess is a multidisciplinary artist and cultural anthropologist based in Vienna. Her work explores themes of embodiment, emotion, and interbodily relations through materials like clay, metal, and textiles. Deeply influenced by her experience of motherhood, she transforms everyday objects into symbolic forms - one of her gestures she describes as the “nippelization of the everyday.”
Riess is the co-founder of the Clayground retreat and the creator of Circle of Clay, a workshop series she has led at institutions such as the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna or the Hotel Kai36 in Graz. Her workshops invite participants—regardless of prior experience—to develop their own sculptural language through hands-on engagement with clay.
Her sculptural objects possess a strong visual identity and tactile presence, marked by a recognizable aesthetic and a willingness to push the boundaries of material behavior. Especially drawn to the tactility of clay, Riess explores how movement and fluidity can be captured in form—leaving the trace of the hand visible in its hardened state. With a strong interest in local materials and interdisciplinary exchange, her practice bridges artistic, social, and ecological concerns in both conceptual and applied ways.
Material: marbled stoneware, engobe, transparente glaze
Dimensions: approx. 20cm x 2cm x 20cm