Ceramic Houseplants by Ariana Heinzman Revel in the Absurdity of Domestication

Art
Craft

#Ariana Heinzman
#ceramics
#flowers
#sculpture

Ceramic Houseplants by Ariana Heinzman Revel in the Absurdity of Domestication

August 8, 2024

Kate Mothes

“Banana Split Plant” (2024), ceramic and underglaze, 28 x 14 x 10 inches. All images © Ariana Heinzman, courtesy of J. Rinehart Gallery, shared with permission

Over the centuries, humanity’s relationship with wilderness has becoming increasingly fraught, as we continue to diminish natural green spaces in favor of roads, buildings, and manicured lawns. For Vashon Island-based artist Ariana Heinzman, our connection—or disconnection—to nature plays a central role in her vibrant ceramics practice.

For her current solo exhibition, Habitat for a Fake Plant at J. Rinehart Gallery, Heinzman (previously) conceived of a collection of quirky stoneware houseplants that sit on stools, irregularly shaped large-scale paintings, and decapitated-looking cuttings installed on the wall. These pieces interrogate the absurdity of bringing nature into human-made environments, examining how we have trained plants to acclimate to interior life.

“In this world, plant-like sculptures are wrapped in patterns reminiscent of tablecloths and wallpaper,” the artist says in a statement for the show, emphasizing their domestic role. The specimens sprout leaves that are flattened to adhere better to flat surfaces, and the foliage assumes anthropomorphic poses, “lounging in this new environment where their purpose is decoration.”

If you’re in Seattle, you can stop by Habitat for a Fake Plant through August 28. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

“Shrug” (2024), stoneware and underglaze, 13 x 10 x 11 inches

“Pinky” (2024) acrylic and ink on canvas, 41 x 47 x 3 inches

“Flower Blob” (2024), ceramic and underglaze, 19 x 13 x 4 inches

“Berry Wing” (2024), acrylic and ink on canvas, 35.5 x 43.5 x 3 inches

“Snips: Turquoise Stem” (2024), ceramic and underglaze, 14 x 14 x 3 inches

“Rubbernecking” (2024), ceramic and underglaze, 21 x 21 x 15 inches

“Dome Drop” (2024), acrylic and ink on canvas, 57 x 48 x 3 inches

Installation view of ‘Habitat for a Fake Plant’ at J. Rinehart Gallery, Seattle

#Ariana Heinzman
#ceramics
#flowers
#sculpture

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