Craft

Zhu Ohmu

Working under the pseudonym Zhu Ohmu, Melbourne ceramicist Rose Wei makes striking organic decorative vessels, created entirely using coiled clay. Her works will be displayed in WONKY, an upcoming group exhibition at Tinning Street art space in Brunswick, from July 14th.

Written
by
Lisa Marie Corso

Zhu Ohmu ceramics vessels. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Rose Wei of Zhu Ohmu at work in her studio. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Rose at work in her studio. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Zhu Ohmu ceramic vessels. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Zhu Ohmu studio details. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Zhu Ohmu ceramics vessel. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Zhu Ohmu ceramics vessel. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Writer
Lisa Marie Corso
30th of June 2016

New Zealand born, Melbourne based Rose Wei has been making things for as long as she can remember. Her earliest memory starts with the Japanese anime series Sailor Moon. In kindergarten, Rose would draw these characters with such likeness, that she soon found herself running an entrepreneurial operation in the school playground, swapping her artworks for snacks and toys. ‘One time a girl traded her mother’s gold ring for one of my drawings, and my Mum made me return it the next day!’ recalls Rose.

With her Sailor Moon days behind her, these days Rose’s creative outlet is more tactile in nature. She graduated from Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts with honours in 2011, with a focus on watercolours and painting, before moving to Melbourne in 2012. ‘When I moved I began experimenting with other mediums,’ she says. ‘At the same time, I started collecting plants, and decided I would make vessels for them. This was my first foray into ceramics.’

Now working under the pseudonym Zhu Ohmu, Rose’s practice is inspired by a passion for the environment. She creates her organic, almost amoebic vessels entirely by hand. ‘I’m interested in exploring the symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature, so working with and learning about botanic life is very important to me,’ she notes. ‘I like to think that I collaborate with plants, although some are easier to work with than others!’

Without any formal training in ceramics, Rose’s creative approach is intuitive. ‘I let the materiality of the clay body guide me – to stack, to fold, to press, to caress, to pull away’ she says. ‘The forms seem to ebb and flow.’ All Zhu Ohmu pieces are hand built with clay coils. ‘In the beginning there was lots of trial and error, but after spending a lot of time with the material I now understand how it likes to behave’ Rose says.

Rose is currently working on pieces for WONKY, an upcoming group exhibition opening at Tinning Street art space in July. She’s also a member of the Honey Fingers urban beekeeping collective, and is collaborating on a bespoke beehive project to launch this summer. ‘I’m making planters to place on top of the beehives, which will be filled with flowers that bees love!’ she says. In the meantime, she’s saving up for a wheel throwing course. ‘I’m really curious to see whether I’d be any good at it!’

Zhu Ohmu pieces will be available for purchase at the WONKY opening at Tinning Street gallery in Brunswick on Thursday 14 July from 6.00 to 8.00pm. Exhibition runs until 24 July, with Rose giving an artist talk on Saturday 16th July. Further enquiries here.

Rose Wei of Zhu Ohmu in her Collingwood studio. Styling – Nat Turnbull. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

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