Mythica Ignota: Elliat Rich’s Mythical Glass Portals at Canberra Glassworks.

Elliat Rich at ‘Mythica Ignota’ exhibition at Canberra Glassworks. Photo: Pew Pew Studio.

Photo: Brenton McGeachie.

Photo: Brenton McGeachie.

Alter Mirror Stone.

Photo: Brenton McGeachie.

Photo: Brenton McGeachie.

Weaver’s Cloak Process (left) and finished work hanging above. Photo: Pew Pew Studio.

In an increasingly homogenised world where design often feels stuck in the conventional, we’re thrilled to share a project that’s making us question everything we thought we knew about our relationship with objects and the cosmos. Enter Alice Springs designer Elliat Rich‘s latest exhibition at Canberra Glassworks.

‘Mythica Ignota: Artefacts of the Oscillocene’ presents a collection that bridges the gap between scientific observation and cultural storytelling. Rich’s work explores what she calls the “Oscillocene”—a time where we’re caught between modern understanding and ancient wisdom.

“Often people dismiss the idea of mythology but it’s something we feel it in our cells,” Rich explains. “Interpreting observations and integrating values through story, ritual and object has been with our species for thousands of years, it’s our collective way of understanding our world and how we fit within it.”

Through a series of meticulously crafted pieces spanning lighting, furniture, and objects, Rich creates what she calls “portals” to alternative ways of belonging to our planet. Each piece tells its own story—from collaborative atoms to dimension-shifting snails and world-weaving entities. The exhibition challenges industrial notions of functionality while pushing the boundaries of material culture.

Canberra Glassworks’ Artistic Director Aimee Frodsham shares our enthusiasm: “Elliat’s ability to blend glass techniques with other mediums, while stepping beyond the established ‘rules’ of glassmaking, sets her apart. She challenges the norms that have shaped glass making traditions for millennia.”

Rich’s unique approach to merging fine craftsmanship with experimental practices makes this exhibition special. After spending two decades in Central Australia, she brings a perspective shaped by living at the intersection of climate change, colonisation, and capitalism—creating work that’s both aesthetically captivating and intellectually stimulating.

‘Mythica Ignota: Artefacts of the Oscillocene’ runs until December 15, 2024, at Canberra Glassworks.

Elliat Rich and fabrication team sandcasting new glass designs at Canberra Glassworks. Courtesy of Canberra Glassworks and the artist.

Samples and experiments by Elliat Rich, during residency at Canberra Glassworks. Courtesy of Canberra Glassworks and the artist.

Photo: Brenton McGeachie.

Photo: Brenton McGeachie.

[Images courtesy of Elliat Rich. Photography by Pew Pew Studio and Brenton McGeachie.]