Michelle Ussher’s practice is motivated by an ongoing interest in how an image, form or sound can communicate the subjective and conditional nature of perception. With an emphasis on the handmade, represented through luscious oil paintings, watercolours and oils on paper, and glazed ceramics, her highly evocative works oscillate between figurative and abstracted imagery. Their fraught surfaces and half-materialised forms produce a sense of history entangled with the effects of imagination and the unconscious. Ussher’s works often scrutinise the world of intimacy, to decolonise and reimagine historic and symbolic Western representations of female identity and sexuality.
Since graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2002, Ussher’s work has exhibited in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. In 2021 she completed a Masters of Aesthetics and Art Theory, supervised by Catherine Malabou at the Centre of Research in European Philosophy, Kingston University. She has undertaken artist residencies at the Cité International des Arts (2008), the Australia Council for the Arts London Studio (2009), the British School at Rome (2015) the Acme Fire Station, London (2015-2020) and West Dean College (2020-21). She received an Arts Council England international development grant (2016) to undertake the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Phasmid residency in Berlin, and an Australia Council for the Arts mid-career development grant to undertake research in Greece (2014), which led to her significant solo exhibition Yellow eyes burn and Return at TarraWarra Museum of Art (2014).
Installation view
2015
Tutti Fruity
2018
glazed porcelain, oil paint and beeswax
45.0 x 45.0 x 25.0 cm
Two Eyeballs on the Run — Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2021
oil on linen
85.0 x 115.0
Camilla
2014
glazed porcelain and epoxy putty
65.0 x 45.0 cm
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
Installation view
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
Installation view
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
Installation view
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
Installation view
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
Installation view
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
TarraWarra Biennial 2018: From Will to Form
2018
Installation view
Amaurots Mirror
2012
oil on linen
160.0 x 250.0 cm
Medusa's Room
2017
Installation view
Gritty Titties
2018
glazed porcelain and oil paint
45.0 x 45.0 x 31.0 cm
Big Mother (oh dear, oh dear)
2018
bleach and hand crocheted cotton on linen
Orchis 3
2019
oil on card
60.0 x 42.0 cm (framed)
Tutti Fruity
2018
glazed porcelain, oil paint and beeswax
45.0 x 45.0 x 25.0 cm
Orchis 2
2019
oil on card
60.0 x 42.0 cm (framed)
Orchis 1
2019
oil on card
60.0 x 42.0 cm (framed)
Big Mother (Knickers)
2018
bleach and acrylic on dyed linen
70.0 x 65.0 cm
Yellow Eyes Burn and Return (Bitches are Witches)
2013
oil on paper
Snozzle
2022
oil on linen
75.0 x 60.0
Bum on the run
2022
oil on linen
75.0 x 60.0 cm
In & Around
2022
oil on linen
51.0 x 40.5 cm
Spare organs
2022
oil on linen
51.0 x 40.5 cm
Barnacle Bob
2022
ceramic
22.0 x 36.0 x 14.0
Lady Jug
2022
ceramic
30.0 x 18.0 x 14.0 cm
Ancient Turd
2022
ceramic
12.0 x 14.0 x 10.0 cm
Crusty Tits
2022
ceramic
12.0 x 24.0 x 20.0 cm
Runny Tits
2022
ceramic
10.0 x 16.0 x 16.0 cm
Shell
2022
ceramic
11.0 x 16.0 x 9.0 cm
Slug Screamer
2022
ceramic
24.0 x 22.0 x 17.0 cm
Sonic
2022
ceramic
6.0 x 10.0 x 9.0 cm
Afterburner
2022
installation view
Afterburner
2022
installation view
Afterburner
2022
installation view
Afterburner
2022
installation view
Spoon
2017
glazed porcelain
Two Eyeballs on the Run — Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2012
oil on linen
225.0 x 300.0 cm
Two Eyeballs on the Run — Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2012
oil on linen
225.0 x 300.0 cm
Two Eyeballs on the Run — Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2012
oil on linen
85.0x 115.0 cm
Two Eyeballs on the Run — Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2012
oil on linen
76.0 x 60.0 cm
Two Eyeballs on the Run – Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2012
installation view
Two Eyeballs on the Run – Looking for a New Head to House. Part One
2012
installation view
Medusa's Room
2017
Installation view
Medusa beheads herself (For Artemisia)
2017
oil on linen
122.0 x 92.0 cm
Dong
2017
porcelain
21.0 x 23.0 x 53.0 cm
Saggy Boob Vase
2017
black earthenware
27.0 x 29.0 x 29.0 cm
Splitz
2015
oil on linen
168.0 x 137.0 cm
Medusa with middle aged brunette (eyes closed)
2016
oil on linen
50.0 x 40.0 cm