Nani Puspasari — 'The Water Tries to Keep Me' Sculptural Ceramic

The Water Tries to Keep Me recalls a real beach accident: after falling asleep on a float, the artist, who cannot swim, drifted away, turning the afternoon into a confused, Baywatch-like rescue. Born in the Year of the Tiger, she uses the tiger, a Chinese symbol of protection, as a playful guardian.

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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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