Artist profile
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.
Artist Career Highlights
- Solo exhibition: Where the Wild River Slips, Brunswick Street Gallery, 2026
- Finalist, Omnia Art Prize, St Kevin's College, 2026
- Finalist, Feel Good Art Prize, Quadrant Gallery, 2025
Artist Interview
Tell us a bit about your story and how you came to be an artist
When I was at my sickest, I could only tolerate a three-minute car ride, and desperately needed connection outside of medical spaces. As luck would have it, a community ceramics studio just a few blocks from my house had one spot left. I have always been artistic, but it wasn't until I discovered clay that I fell in love with the process of creating. I come from a science background and am notoriously cerebral (read: overthinker) so to find a medium that requires no prior planning was an incredible relief. I also discovered the truth in the clichéd "healing powers" of clay, and have been fortunate enough to recover some of my health. Even though I am still chronically ill, and now all my sculptures begin as sketches, I can thank this medium for my path.
