Hand-sculpted stoneware object by Anna Riess
This clay sculpture takes the form of a yellow head—an evocative study of identity, recognition, and duality. With a face on both sides, the piece mirrors the complexity of self-perception and the fluid nature of expression. The vibrant yellow glaze amplifies its emotional charge, while the subtle asymmetry in facial features alludes to mimicry, performance, and the blurred line between authenticity and appearance.

Inspired by the phenomenon of superrecognition and the psychological nuances of facial expression, Riess invites viewers to confront the layered act of being seen—and seeing. This work oscillates between mask and portrait, capturing the tension between inner truth and social persona.

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 Claygroundretreat 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.