Ebony Russell — 'Cornucopia Urn lI' Sculptural Ceramic, 2026

This developing body of work from Sydney based Ebony Russell explores the wall sconce as a meeting point between sculpture, ornament and functional object. Made from stained porcelain, each piece has been constructed through successive layers of piped clay. Bold glazes have been applied over the coloured porcelain, allowing the stained body to remain visible and interact with the glazed surface.

The forms draw on serpents and medieval faces, bringing together bodily, mythological and architectural references. Faces emerge from accumulations of piped ornament, while coiling serpentine forms suggest protection, transformation and unease. Through vivid colour, reflective glaze and intricate porcelain surfaces, Ebony aims to create objects that feel simultaneously ancient and contemporary - part domestic furnishing, part guardian figure and part fantastical architectural fragment.

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Ebony Russell is an Australian artist whose sculptural ceramic practice challenges distinctions between structure and ornament. Using a process developed over two decades, Russell constructs intricate porcelain forms by piping successive layers, allowing decoration to become architecture. Her work explores femininity, labour and the decorative arts, celebrating abundance, excess and material invention. She holds degrees from Monash University and the National Art School. In 2025, she received the Brookfield Properties Craft Award and Jingdezhen Grand Prize for Emerging Maker. Russell has exhibited internationally, and her work is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, Powerhouse Museum, Artbank Australia and major Australian public collections.