Substrate of life (Beneath the Sea series)
paper mâché, various dimension, 2020.
photo credits © Marie Griesmar
Two mysterious terracotta carpeted floors, spreading into a dimensional repetitive geometric pattern. Round and rough at the same time, the installation evokes the imperceptible substrate of coral reef. The warm colors refer to this incredible red alga found onto the reef, which calcify and can cement rubble to create a viable surface for coral to grow upon. With this work, Marie Griesmar explores the fragile balance of these marine ecosystems and its morphological formation. Brought to a micro-scale perception, the spectator is then invited to feel like coral larvae, ready to settle in the realm of underwater life.
Exhibition view from the exhibition “Propositions for poetic ecosystems” organized by artists-in-labs and the Saudi Art Council for the 21,39 Jeddah Art Week 7th Edition, in the UNESCO protected house Rubat Al-Khunji in Al-Balad