Vibrant Coral Expresses of the Power of Nature in Courtney Mattison’s Whirling Wall Relief

Art

#ceramics
#climate crisis
#coral
#Courtney Mattison
#nature
#oceans
#sculpture

Vibrant Coral Expresses of the Power of Nature in Courtney Mattison’s Whirling Wall Relief

December 15, 2022

Kate Mothes

“Gyre I” (2022), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 75 x 75 x 11 inches. Photography by Daniel Jackson for Brandywine Museum of Art. All images © Courtney Mattison, shared with permission

In Courtney Mattison’s elaborate ceramic wall reliefs, the rich textures and hues of coral sweep elegantly across vast surfaces. Made of numerous individual pieces that she forms by hand, each composition references the fragility, diversity, and resilience of marine ecosystems, which she describes as an effort to “visualize climate change.” Currently on display at the Brandywine Museum of Art, “Gyre I” draws inspiration from forces of nature exemplified in the immense power of hurricanes and the delicate spirals of seashells or flower petals.

See “Gyre I” in Fragile Earth through January 8, 2023, and find more of Mattison’s work on her website and Instagram.

#ceramics
#climate crisis
#coral
#Courtney Mattison
#nature
#oceans
#sculpture

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