OUR CHANGING SEAS IX

by courtney mattison

2024

glazed stoneware + porcelain

284 x 224 x 22 cm (112 x 88 x 9 in) H x W x D

Collection of Christian Dior Couture SA. Commissioned for installation at Christian Dior Couture located at the Capri Camerelle Boutique in Italy.

Artist statement:

By exploring the fragile beauty of marine life while highlighting the threat of climate change, these two artworks celebrate Dior’s commitment to sustainability and aim to inspire viewers to cherish and protect the marine environment. Porcelain fronds of seagrass and stoneware coral branches share a sense of fragility with the living organisms that inspired their designs, compelling observers to treat them with care. Ceramic forms composing two wall installations were intricately sculpted, textured and glazed by hand. Our Changing Seas IX incorporates a color palette of glazes reflecting the vibrant tones and textures of healthy coral reefs juxtaposed against shades of white to emphasize the stark contrast of coral bleaching on reefs stricken by warming sea temperatures. Capri Gyre is inspired by the island of Capri’s local marine ecology, featuring a fluorescence of colorful marine invertebrate forms surrounded by intricate structures reminiscent of clams, urchins and other shell-building organisms swirling among seagrass and beach pebbles that appear to have been bleached by sun and time. By experiencing this work on two walls of the Dior boutique in Capri, viewers may feel as if they are hovering over the seafloor, discovering details from every angle.

all images © courtney mattison

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CAPRI GYRE