This friendly ceramic face, formed from natural white clay and designed to hang gently on the wall, is a quiet meditation on presence, identity, and ritual. With clear blue eyes, flushed pink cheeks, and a serene expression, the piece balances between portrait and totem—an intimate object that invites stillness and reflection.

A delicate golden Schönheitsfleck just above the upper lip draws the eye and adds a touch of character and allure, a playful nod to beauty and self-styling. Two sculpted ears frame the face like a contemporary mask, lending it both structure and elegance.

A small opening in the mouth is designed to hold an incense stick—an anchor for intention—while the surrounding surface offers space for candles or small objects, encouraging personal ritual and daily care.

Subtle in tone yet rich in detail, this piece transforms the familiar into something sacred. Through the fusion of form and function, Anna Riess offers more than an artwork: a vessel for attention, beauty, and quiet presence.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.