Costumes in Clay

Gerda Satunas is a Lithuanian born NZ ceramicist, whose work is deeply influenced by her European heritage. Her large and extravagant pieces are staggeringly opulent and convey an immediate sense of luxury, with their lashings of gold and ornate, glittering adornments.
Gerda completed a degree in Costumes for Performance at the London College of Fashion within the University of Arts of London. This led her to work and live in London, Amsterdam and Spain. Gerda was involved in artistic projects at Madame Tussauds Museum in London, resourcing costumes for exhibitions and television shows such as Downton Abbey and working with fabrics at the Royal Opera house of London.
Upon moving to New Zealand in 2012, Gerda’s creative streak transformed into ceramics.
Costumes in Clay features works that are derived from organic forms. From flowers and fungi, oyster mushrooms, leaves and shells, Gerda merges recognisable elements with more sophisticated patterns, creating a twisting, writhing, captivating mass, each one tangibly dynamic, with a sense of movement and life. The resplendent use of gold is captivating. The works are individual, unique repetitions of structure and lines in towering, solid form. Renaissance influences are very apparent throughout.
The works are not planned. Gerda creates based on how she feels that day and what captures her attention. Each work is the result of four or five firings.