Narratio in forma
rachelle austen
16 November – 3 December 2023
Macedon Ranges based ceramic artist Rachelle Austen invites you to embark on a profound visual journey through 'Narratio in Forma: An Odyssey of Time, Hope, and Knowledge”.
Austen's provocative and abstract minimalist ceramic sculpture works unveil three distinct elements:
• 'Tempus Census': Explore the malleability of time, altered by intense focus through geometric forms.
• 'Ex Ignes': Admire the resilience of a hopeful medical odyssey depicted in a compelling mural.
• 'Scientia Elevat': Experience how knowledge empowers us toward acceptance, serving as a foundation for growth and transformation.
Austen's work intricately weaves the narratives of life, redefining how stories are told and inviting you to explore the profound depths of the human experience."
Rachelle Austen (b.1976) lives in the Macedon Ranges on Dja Dja Wurrung country and makes intimate autobiographical sculptures predominantly in porcelain paper clay and black clay with an intent to share her life-changing 6-year journey of new perspectives with others and how the empowerment of knowledge can elevate.
As an industrial designer and drawing from 6 years of experience learning the art of ceramics at the School of Clay and Art in Brunswick, Rachelle explores the boundaries of her chosen material. Pushing it to extremes with the intent of causing cracks and fissures into the delicately thin and robust solid forms, her work becomes a metaphor for the resilience of existence, fragility of life and most importantly, the beauty that may be found in imperfections.