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      Imaginative Glass Specimens Are Suspended in Jars in Steffen Dam’s Cabinets of Curiosities

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      Art
      #glass
      #jellyfish
      #sculpture
      #sea creaturesJanuary 13, 2022Grace EbertAll images courtesy of Heller GalleryHeld in tall, transparent jars are recreations of tiny jellyfish with wispy tentacles, plankton, and other delicate sea creatures by Danish artist Steffen Dam (previously). He sculpts the miniature organisms in glass and displays the exquisite creations in wooden boxes or medicine cases that evoke the 16th Century wunderkammers or cabinets of curiosities. Generally in the possession of aristocrats and monarchs, these encyclopedic collections predated museums and held objects that were valuable for scientific study and their ability to inspire wonder and awe. Although Dam’s sculptures reference the colors, textures, and shapes of real-life specimens, his imaginative works are inventive interpretations of evolution and biology.Find more of the artist’s recent works on his site and at Heller Gallery in New York, where he’s represented.“Wunderkammer” (2021), 
glass and illuminated wooden presentation box, 
35 3/8 x 27 1/2 x 7 inchesDetail of “Wunderkammer” (2021), 
glass and illuminated wooden presentation box, 
35 3/8 x 27 1/2 x 7 inches“Pangaean Zoology” (2018), 20 elements in glass, 72 inches“Marine Group” (2020), glass and illuminated presentation box, 13 3/4 x 39 x 7 7/8 inches“Specimen Block” (2017), 
glass, 
11 3/8 x 11 3/8 x 1 1/2 inches“New Medicine” (2017), 
glass and illuminated wooden presentation box
, 30 1/4 x 17 1/4 x 9 inches“Marine Specimen Collection” (2018), 
glass, 
tallest 8 3/4 inchesDetail of “Specimen Cabinet” (2017), glass and illuminated wooden presentation box, 
39 1/4 x 24 3/8 x 9 3/8 inchesDetail of “The Journey to M31” (2021)
      #glass
      #jellyfish
      #sculpture
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      Wine Streams Through Sea Creatures in Playful Glass Decanters by Charlie Matz

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      Art
      Design
      Food
      #animals
      #beverages
      #glass
      #sea creaturesDecember 22, 2021Grace EbertAll images © Charlie Matz, shared with permissionIn the sleek decanters designed by artist Charlie Matz, wine and other spirits trickle through a crab’s claws, a shark’s open jaws, and the belly of a branzino. The playful aeration vessels are handmade with borosilicate glass and position marine life at the necks of the carafe, ensuring that the creatures flush with reds and pinks with every pour. Matz, who works at the Chicago-based Ignite Glass, has a few of the decanters available in the studio’s shop, and you can follow his functional creations and new releases on Instagram.[embedded content]
      #animals
      #beverages
      #glass
      #sea creaturesDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! Share this story  More

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      Innumerable Spines Cover Amorphous Sea Creatures Sculpted in Clay by Marguerita Hagan

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      Art

      #ceramics
      #clay
      #coral
      #sculpture
      #sea creatures

      April 15, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      “Blushing,” hand-built ceramic, 3.25 x 5 x 2.5 inches. All images © Marguerita Hagan, by Richard W. Gretzinger, shared with permission
      Prior to sculpting the prickly lifeforms that comprise her Marine Abstracts series, Marguerita Hagan plunged into the waters surrounding the Cayman Islands to get a glimpse of the coral and sponges inhabiting the region. “My research is important to my work, whether from seeing firsthand like diving, which manifested the sponge and coral-inspired Marine Abstracts, or visiting labs and working with my scientist friends,” the Philadelphia-based artist says. “I am passionate about learning, and I immerse myself into the life of each piece/species.”
      Mimicking the porous bodies of the aquatic creatures, the resulting works are amorphous in shape and hand-built in sweeping gestures from low-fire clay. Hagan subjects the ceramic forms to anywhere between three and eight rounds of firing in the kiln before they’re airbrushed with pastel glazes. Pocked with holes and covered in tiny bristles arranged with meticulous precision, each piece can take months to complete.

      “Swept,” hand-built ceramic, 6.5 x 8.25 x 6.5 inches
      When presented in a gallery space, Hagan contextualizes many of her works by pairing them with animated projections, creating holistic installations that situate individual sculptures within a larger ecosystem. It’s a way to generate conversation about interdependence and the need to protect these fragile forms, the artist says, explaining the concept further:
      Microscopic marine organisms form the basis of all life on our planet and connect in exquisite systems or colonies. These one-cell plankton gems, our primary producers provide over 50% of the oxygen for the planet with light from the sun. Rich diversity and reciprocal sharing power thriving communities and environments. This light-giving flow has enabled all life to thrive for eons…We are in a time of epic shifts and are responsible for the changes needed now. The work intends to uplift spirits, awareness, renewable action and timely sustainable investments for all life.
      You can see many of the abstracted pieces shown here, alongside dozens of Hagan’s sculptures, as part of Biospheres, which is on view both in-person and virtually at HOT•BED in Philadelphia through May 8. For a larger collection of the artist’s works, check out her site and Instagram.

      “Swept,” hand-built ceramic, 6.5 x 8.25 x 6.5 inches
      Detail of “Aquamarine Whisper,” hand-built ceramic, 6.75 x 4 x 5 inches
      “Aquamarine Whisper,” hand-built ceramic, 6.75 x 4 x 5 inches
      “Cayman Crush,” hand-built ceramic, 6.5 x 8.25 x 6.5 inches
      “Cayman Crush,” hand-built ceramic, 6.5 x 8.25 x 6.5 inches
      “Blushing,” hand-built ceramic, 3.25 x 5 x 2.5 inches

      #ceramics
      #clay
      #coral
      #sculpture
      #sea creatures

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