PARIS—”We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea—whether it is to sail or to watch it—we are going back from whence we came.” – John F. Kennedy
Acclaimed French designer Mathieu Lehanneur recreates oceanic topography using high definition satellite technology in his enameled faïence works. His 50 Seas exhibition at Christie’s Paris (January 18 – February 2, 2018) features 50 unique ceramic discs inspired by the nuanced colors and points of the world’s oceans, the gallery writes.
Using high-definition satellite photography of the earth’s waters and its vast movements, from the Gulf of Guinea and the Hudson’s Bay to Antarctica’s Weddell Sea and the Bay of Bengal, Lehanneur crafts a collection of 50 wall ornaments. The works are enamelled to reproduce the undulation of the ocean.
Known for his innovative designs that combine art, science and functionality, in this latest series Lehanneur introduces an original approach to design, fusing decorative arts with high technology yielding unique emulations of the geographic specificity of the environment, DesignBoom writes.
In 50 seas, Mathieu Lehanneur crystallises the global colour scheme of the world’s liquid environment, selecting a chromatic topology of the ocean in order to pay homage to its subtleties. to do so the french designer used high-definition satellite photography, identifying fifty points across the earth and materialising them within large ceramic circles.
The collection is a continuation of the designer’s liquid marble and ocean memories series, DesignBoom adds.
“We have to accustom our eyes and our mind with the subtle disparities of things. Eskimos have 50 words to define the snow, I selected 50 shades to define the sea.’
Do you love or loathe this exhibition from the world of contemporary ceramic art and contemporary ceramics? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
I love them all; each one is like a piece of wave. They are stunning in form and color, and so evocative. How wonderful to use technology to such creative purpose.
I’m fascinated by the idea of looking at fifty variations in the color of water. Having had a family home by the ocean, I was always struck by how the color of the water seemed to shift and change each day. The text incidates that each is “enameled” is this enameled or glazed? I’d be curious to know more about the process of matching the colors found in the source satellite images that Mathieu Lehanneur collected.
I agree with Wally Schwab’s comment above.
Too many, one , two, or three ok but several rooms, so what, boring, too much redundancy. One piece alone is quite beautiful.
The correct translation is “wine dark sea”. Besides which there is really nothing Homeric about this exhibition so why the reference? #stale