Artist statement

Where the Light Slips is a ceramic exhibition that explores the unseen forces, both internal and external, that quietly shape who we are. Anchored in the interplay between light and shadow, the work reflects on the subconscious characters we construct as a means of self-preservation.

This debut solo exhibition is by Alexandra Neville, a ceramic sculpture artist based on Dharawal Country in Stanwell Park. With a background in both physical and digital making, Alexandra has found working with clay to be a practice born from a need for silent reflection, providing a retreat from the outside world.

The exhibition brings together a series of ceramic sculptures that include abstract figures, vessels, and suspended chain forms. Each piece is shaped in response to the internal roles we develop over time, some visible, others buried, formed through memory, experience, and emotion. These works suggest familiar archetypes that quietly influence how we respond and move through the world, reflecting the complex and often contradictory aspects of our inner lives.

The process of making the work is intuitive and improvisational, beginning with geometric forms such as toruses, spheres, and cylinders. Parts are thrown or handbuilt individually, then assembled slowly, often without a fixed plan. The figures appear to emerge on their own, coming to life gradually and gaining weight, posture, and gaining weight, posture, and personality as they are pieced together, much like how we gather and form various moments in our lives.

The use of chains, heavy glaze textures, and fractured surfaces hints at both strength and tenderness. The sculptures can be awkward, imposing, or unsettling, but well-intentioned. Their presence is grounding and familiar. This series invites reflection on the subtleties of the self—on the unseen characters that hold us together and encourages us to look inward, to the places where light still slips in.