Two new works by Courtney Matison place ceramic sculptures of coral, sponge and anemone in a swirling cluster of marine diversity. Wall reliefs titled "The Spinning" and "Our Ever-Changing Ocean VII" are the latest in the Los Angeles artist's work, which advocates for ecological conservation by highlighting the beautiful and fragile nature of marine invertebrates.
In both, Mattison contrasts the vibrant, plump tentacles of healthy organisms with those carved in white porcelain to convey the devastating effects of the climate crisis, including widespread bleaching. Given that recent reports estimate that 14 percent of the world's coral populations have disappeared in the last decade alone, her recurring themes are becoming increasingly pressing.
Each life form is handcrafted and filled with tiny grooves and textured elements — a meticulous process she shares on Instagram — and once completed, the individual sculptures are assembled into a clear composition that radiates outward in a gradient gradient. "Water connects us all, from the lush banks of Lawsons Fork Creek to the icy glaciers of the Arctic and the gleaming coral reefs of Southeast Asia. Life on Earth depends on healthy oceans," she shared as "spinning." "The vortex design for this work is inspired by these connections and patterns, and the swirling forms are repeated in nature through hurricanes, shells, waves, and galaxies."
