We’re sitting knee to knee in what is essentially a large closet of a communal art studio, surrounded by outsized vases and glazing chemicals, when ceramicist Ellen Pong lets me in on a secret: “I don’t think I’m doing anything right.” For the ceramicist, who graduated from UC Berkeley in 2018 with a major in art history and minor in art practice, feeling lost is part of her process. “I like the element of surprise,” she says, explaining that the result is rarely what she intended it to be when she began.

As somewhat of a hobby ceramicist—she works part-time as a studio assistant to Stephanie Temma Hier and nannies—Pong’s sense of uncertainty might be due to her relative newness to the design world, not a lack of skill. At 28, she’s already had a solo show with Superhouse, produced a line of mirrors for Hem X, and shown a collection of furniture and a series of vessels at NADA NY. While Pong may not have all the answers yet, she knows what she likes, and she’s good at capturing it.

Despite her affection for the unexpected, the end products seem to reflect a wonderful sense of control. Pong’s Hem X mirrors come with magnets for hanging notes, pictures, or other memorabilia. They’re fundamentally functional objects, but at the center of the mirrors Pong placed tiles depicting what looks like an Ugg boot filled with flowers. “I like it when the piece talks back to the consumer. It’s asserting some sort of presence,” she says. “I want to make something in service to some sort of function, but at the same time, I want to sabotage that.” Another example can be found in the back of one of her chairs, where a simple wooden frame holds another ceramic tile exactly where the sitter’s spine would be—perhaps a physical reminder that you’re not sitting in any chair, you’re sitting in her chair.

At first glance, Pong’s pieces might display an artistic intent that maxes out at surrealism. But when viewed as a collection of work, larger through lines of control, ownership, and exploration become clear. Maybe it’s good to not know exactly what you’re doing.

You can learn more about Ellen Pong by visiting the studio’s website or on Instagram.

Top image courtesy Ellen Pong

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