This hand-formed sculpture, crafted from red-fired terracotta and detailed with glossy red nails, captures a poised and expressive gesture: three fingers stretched, two drawn back—suggesting a peace sign or a moment of silent communication. The space formed at the center of the hand cradles a candle, transforming the piece into both a functional object and a contemplative form.

For Anna Riess, the hand is both tool and symbol—central to her process and her artistic language. Through direct contact with the clay, she embeds emotion, gesture, and presence into each work. The contrast between the earthy terracotta and the polished red nails reflects themes of strength, care, and the rituals of becoming. This sculpture invites touch, reflection, and the warm flicker of light—a small monument to the language of hands.

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 and 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.