Nicolette Johnson – 'Tendril Vase', 2023

Tendril Vase, 2023 is a stoneware pot which draws from the flowing lines and botanical motifs of Art Nouveau to mimic forms in nature like vines, budding fruit, and droplets of dew. Serpentine handles wind around the generously shaped pot which is shrouded in a micro-crystalline turquoise glaze, lending a watery, lustrous texture to the surface. The radial placement of the handles suggests an imperfect symmetry—a chaotic tangle of stems made static. Spherical protrusions sprout from the handles suggesting new growth while glaze pools beneath them, frozen by the cooling air in the kiln.

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Nicolette Johnson is a ceramic artist interested in the vessel. Her work explores our connection to the natural world and the way we assign powerful meaning to objects. Johnson was born in London, England in 1990, grew up in Texas, USA, and has been based in Meanjin (Brisbane), Australia since 2005. Working in stoneware and employing wheel-throwing, coiling, and sculpting techniques, Johnson applies a modern sensibility to classical forms. Her work is included in the permanent collections of The National Gallery of Victoria, The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Museum of Brisbane, and the Griffith University Art Museum.

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Jugs

May 6- June 24

Read about the exhibition.

Jugs is part of Melbourne Design Week 2023, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the NGV.

Material: glazed stoneware

Dimensions: approx. 46 x 39cm