Ella Luchich

PORTFOLIO

'After Hours'

After Hours is a playful yet subversive collage that stages cartoon characters inside the circular windows of washing machines, turning a mundane domestic appliance into a stage for surreal narratives. The bright, exaggerated expressions of the cartoon figures contrast sharply with the cold, metallic setting, creating a tension between whimsy and monotony. This juxtaposition not only disrupts the expected function of the washing machine but also transforms it into a portal of absurdity and imagination.

'Beneath the Bloom'

Beneath the Bloom is a textile-based artwork depicting a girl in the water of a coral reef. centred on an embroidered and beaded coral reef, rich in texture and detail. The densely stitched and embellished surface mimics the layered complexity of reef ecosystems, combining lustrous beads with intricate threadwork. Each element is carefully composed to evoke the organic growth patterns of coral, while the tactile qualities invite close inspection.

'a fragilité de la vie'

My body of work is the conceptualisation of how stong life is but it can fall apart and shatter at any moment. pomegranates, which have historically been identified as a symbol of fertility and life, whereas the porcelain/ ceramic aspect of the works exemplifies how strong life is but can break easily .These ideas create duality in the body of work not only through the concept of fertility and fragility, but in my 2 dimensional aspect i also used gold thread, which is reminiscent of the japanese technique Kintsugi which is also a metaphor for embracing your flaws and imperfections. Lei xue was one of the main artist who had an influence on my collection of works from his iconic ongoing artwork “drinking tea”. The name la fragilité de la vie was chosen for the collections of work because of the distinguishable pattern seen on both components of the works, and how it is derived from europe and known as chinoiserie. By using duality to create a Cohesive meaningful concept through the idea of porcelain symbolising how fragile life can be and a pomegranate which has famously illustrated fertility and life.

'Threaded Memories:
A Childhood Journey'

Threaded Memories: A Childhood Journey captures the essence of travel not just as movement through space, but as a weaving together of places, impressions, and moments. Each panel in this triptych represents a different city visited during my childhood, collaging iconic landmarks, textures, and fragments of experience into vibrant, overlapping compositions. The arrangement is not bound by strict geography or perspective—just as childhood memories blur and layer over time.The white string acts as both a literal and symbolic connector, mimicking the flight paths and travel routes we took while simultaneously tying together the fragmented images into a continuous narrative. The pins mark the places we explored, serving as anchors in the map of recollection. The result is a visual diary that reflects how journeys live on in memory—less as orderly itineraries, and more as a tapestry of colours, sensations, and moments suspended in time.

'Repose'

WORK IN PROGRESS – HSC MAJOR WORK

Repose translates the quiet crisis of coral bleaching into a form that is soft, tangible, and intimate. Coral is naturally sharp, rigid, and protective, yet here it is reimagined as a rug; warm and inviting. This contradiction reflects the tension between beauty and fragility; what was once a thriving ecosystem is now vulnerable, and fading. in creating this work I wanted to hold onto my connection to the water while acknowledging its fragility. By translating a harsh, endangered seascape into something domestic and intimate, the rug becomes a space where memory and loss are intertwined.

Final rug size 2.5mx1.2m