In this work, Anna Riess engages with the complex nature of self-recognition and the masks we wear. The zebra-like stripes act as both concealment and revelation, inviting viewers to question what is seen and what is hidden. The dual faces become a space where presence and absence, authenticity and performance, meet—challenging the gaze and embracing the fluidity of identity. Through its functional elements and ritualistic potential, the sculpture becomes a vessel for reflection, care, and the ongoing dialogue between inner truth and outward expression.

Crafted with the same sensitivity to form and function that runs through Anna Riess’s practice, the piece includes a small opening at the mouth, designed to hold an incense stick. Around the face, candles or ritual objects may be placed, transforming the sculpture into a site of daily reflection and intention. Two small holes positioned at the ears allow the piece to be fixed directly to the wall with golden nails—both a practical mounting system and a subtle nod to adornment.

With its graphic surface and sculptural tactility, this work invites repeated return. It asks to be lived with—activated by scent, flame, and presence—as a contemplative object at the intersection of ritual, perception, and identity.

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.