Nani Puspasari — 'Whispers of Clay: Earth's Silent Guardian', 2024

This work draws on the artist’s spirit growing up in South Borneo, and bridges the ceramic traditions of Indonesia with the contemporary sensibilities of life in Australia. The piece reflects the artist’s cross-cultural journey and challenges conventional notions of authenticity while expressing a longing for the home left behind. Imperfection is celebrated through a layered process of underglazes, glazes, and luminous finishes of gold and mother-of-pearl. The tiger motif serves as a guardian, connecting the spiritual legacy of Borneo's sacred jars with present experiences in Australia. Figurative elements link to Borneo's natural world, grounding the piece in both memory and place. This sculpture embodies resilience, transformation, and the transcultural.

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Nani Puspasari, a visual artist based in Naarm, Australia, migrated to Australia in 2008. She holds a design degree from Swinburne University and earned her Master of Fine Arts from RMIT in 2010. Her artistic practice is a profound exploration of visual art that includes installation, sculpture, digital illustration, painting, and ceramics. Rooted in storytelling, her work explores themes of childhood memories, identity, migration, and cultural hybridity. Puspasari captures a spectrum of emotions—from innocence and anxiety to loss and sorrow—reflecting the complexities of human experience. Drawing inspiration from the colourful pop culture of Asia and the bold forms of Western design, she examines how cultural influences shape self-perception and belonging. She is a finalist for the 2024 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, North Queensland Ceramic Awards and was also recognised as a finalist in the 2023 Muswellbrook Art Prize, Hornsby Art Prize, and TRAILS Sculpture Prize.

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