French ceramicist and sculptor Gregoire Scalabre takes great pride in creating masterpieces that continuously push the limits of his craft. Case in point, his latest creation entitled The Ultimate Metamorphosis of Thetis is a colossal sculpture that consists of 70,000 handmade ceramic vases.
An ode to the Greek sea nymph Thetis, the sculpture measures 6.5 feet high and more than 3 feet in diameter. It made its debut at the Homo Faber Event in Venice as part of the Porcelain Virtuosity exhibition.
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Known for her extraordinary powers of transformation, the artist’s rendition of the Nereid depicts her life underwater as a recluse.
“I wanted to give her a final metamorphosis. I Imagined all these boats wrecked in the Mediterranean, their amphoras at the bottom of the sea. Thetis could majestically drape herself in the myriad of vases and rise from the sea.”
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This colossal sculpture by Gregoire Scalabre consists of 70,000 handmade ceramic vases
Interestingly, each vase measures only about 2 to 3 centimeters high and 1 centimeter in width, explaining its massive quantity. Scalabre incorporated a turning technique called a la Motte, which allowed him to create several miniature vases from a single ball of clay. After enameling each piece, he then started combining them into one monumental piece.
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With no predetermined pattern, Scalabre revealed that he had to complete the sculpture instinctively. This meant arranging and juxtaposing the vases based on their shapes and colors to develop a message.
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Be sure to check out the talented artist’s Instagram page to see more of his superb sculpted creations. In the meantime, watch the video below to see the sculptor in action.
Source: Gregoire Scalabre Instagram | Homo Faber