Riley Rist ( He/Him/They/Them )

My work is focused on anthropological research of how American/Western masculinity is perceived and assigned. My work explores the connection between gender expression and the stereotyping of sexuality, exploring why effeminate men are labeled as queer. Through specific materials, I convey a physical connection to my anthropological research to produce subverted imagery about masculine behaviors and appearances. Using materials that were historically sought after gives my work a sense of legitimacy. Porcelain is a historically sought after material by westerners for its beauty and purity; by putting my own imagery on porcelain, it validates and gives my work an extra layer of significance.

Riley Rist is a ceramics artist and anthropologist. Riley earned his BFA in Ceramics from The Cleveland Institute of Art in 2021. While at CIA, Riley started studying anthropology as part of his artistic practice. Upon graduation, he was accepted into Minnesota State University: Mankato’s Masters of Science program in Anthropology. At MNSU, Riley studied traditions of masculinity in relation to sexuality and gender expression. For his capstone thesis, Riley created a digital exhibition titled “Queering Ceramics: A Digital Exhibition and Discussion”. This thesis went deep into the history of art through an anthropological lens to explore and find examples of queer and “queering” works of ceramic art throughout history. Upon completion of the Masters of Science in Anthropology Riley went on to pursue being an instructor in the creative arts department at MNSU, as well as a masters student in ceramics at MNSU. Riley’s main work now revolves around exploring materiality, gender, and alternative processes for developing imagery on clay.