Tessa Lewis

Covenant College, VCE Art Making and Exhibiting

Sonder 2024
ceramic

Artist statement:

Sonder is the realisation that every person you meet has a life as complex as your own; one filled with individual experiences and emotions. In this artwork, each vessel represents the unique experiences that we as humans face daily. Our differences are represented by the ‘oceanic’ (specifically seaweed) forms, while the vessels highlight human growth through hardship, indifference and trauma.

Reflecting upon human innocence and how lives are shaped by individual experiences, good or bad, I have contrasted the pure white of the bases with bold blues and greens. The bleeding of colours portrays how hardship leads to maturity, sympathy and intelligence. Finally, the metallic gold reflects how new experiences begin to shape us as individuals. As the gold bleeds out of the seaweed cluster it represents an individual becoming who they are today; beautiful, bold and unique.