Tarcis Fenech

Whimsically irreverent and full of deep feeling, Fenech creates mixed-media, ceramic-based sculptures that reference their Maltese-Australian heritage. Contrasting glitter and plastic gems against muddy-toned glazes, their work is undeniably dirty and delightful. Tarcis Fenech (b. 1998) is a mixed-media artist working from their studio in so-called Maryborough, Victoria. Through rigorous experimentation with handbuilding and glazing techniques, Fenech creates process-responsive earthenware sculptures that retain evidence of the extreme conditions endured in the kiln: melting, pitting, cracking. Post-firing embellishment with glitter and plastic gems creates a sense of irreverent whimsy that references the aesthetics of their Maltese-Australian heritage and challenges the ideals of “good taste”. Fenech’s practice maintains a focus on spirituality, with their body of work an exploration of fantasy, ritual, and reminiscence.