Fusion - Ceramic Forms

Inspired by fungi and coral forms, Fusion is an outdoor ceramic sculpture that has appeared at multiple exhibitions throughout Ireland. Each column consists of layer upon layer of individually sculpted and modelled clay brackets.

Sculpture at the Castle 2017, Blarney Castle and Garden, Co. Cork (May-Oct 2017).
Art in Action 2012 & 2014 at Farmleigh House, Dublin.
Vanishing Art 2013 at Carton House, Co. Kildare.
Ceramics Ireland 2012 – annual group show at The Cowshed, Farmleigh House, Dublin.
Contemporary Sculpture in Irish Gardens 2011, Ballintubbert Garden, Co. Kildare.
The Irish Craft Garden at Bloom 2011, Phoenix Park, Dublin.
Sculpture in Context 2010 at The National Botanic Garden, Dublin.

Dimensions: 1.5m high x 0.45m diameter (each piece).

Price: €6,000 (3 pieces or €2,000 each).

My inspiration

I remain fascinated and captivated by Corals and Fungi. In particular bracket or plate varieties on both land and sea. Indeed, if we were to remove water from the equation some Coral and Fungi are at times so alike as to be indistinguishable.

Leave it to Mother Nature to achieve such symmetry.

However, the similarities are not all that surprising given that Fungi were for a protracted period in their evolution largely water based. Of course, today the reverse is true.

Coral and Fungi are not just physically alike. They also have to contend with many misconceptions.

For instance, most coral seem like exotic aquatic plants. Yet, despite appearances they are in fact animals.

In the same way, many would regard Fungi as a plant. But Fungi is so strange an organism it merits a kingdom all of its own and is considered neither plant nor animal, but poses traits of both.

Inspiration from bracket/plate coral. Coral at Arthur Bay, Magnetic Island. Image by Holobionics (own work) licenced under a Creative Commons licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMontipora_coral%2C_Arthur_Bay%2C_Magnetic_Island%2C_January_2016.jpg

Image by PJeganathan (Own work) licenced under a Creative Commons licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AChicken_of_the_woods_Fungus_JEG7298_Jegan.JPG

Indeed, we would be forgiven for thinking all Coral are benign and that all Fungi are only a nuisance, of course it is not so black and white. The reality is both organisms are highly aggressive and territorial creatures and are some of the oldest and largest living things on earth e.g. Coral Reefs and the Honey fungus.

They also so happen to be oddly beautiful. In addition, over their half a billion year history, their overall importance to our ecosystem cannot be underestimated, and without their existence the earth would be a much less diverse place.

How was it made?

Fusion is a large-scale outdoor ceramic sculpture. It was hand-built in a highly-grogged stoneware clay body and were high-fired in an electric kiln to 1260°C (Cone 8). Each column consists of layer upon layer of individually sculpted and modelled clay brackets; there are approximately 500 brackets in total across the three sculptures. My aim was for a very natural, organic form that melts into the landscape. Hence, there is a fusion of Coral and Fungi but also of the sculpture into its environment.

The blue-green glaze is one I developed about 10 years ago, it combines multiple layers of glazes which at stoneware temperatures melt and ‘flux’ to create a stunning ceramic surface. This reactive glaze responds to the bracketed surface of the clay – making each piece completely unique.

Glazing, studio process. Ceramic outdoor sculpture - Fusion by Michelle Maher, exhibited at Sculpture in Context 2010 at the The National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. The piece is inspired by fungi and coral forms in nature and was sculpted in a crank stoneware clay body, fired to Cone 8 in an electric kiln. www.ceramicforms.com

About ‘Sculpture in Context’

Ceramic outdoor sculpture - Fusion by Michelle Maher, exhibited at Sculpture in Context 2010 at the The National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. The piece is inspired by fungi and coral forms in nature and was sculpted in a crank stoneware clay body, fired to Cone 8 in an electric kiln. www.ceramicforms.com

“As you weave your way through the garden, you will discover sculptures in the most unexpected and surprising places. Ranging in size and materials, these works of art represent the richly diverse character of Irish and International contemporary sculpture today.”

Sculpture in Context is the largest and most prestigious outdoor sculpture exhibition in Ireland. Established in 1985 by a group of sculptors, their aim was to work on behalf of fellow sculptors to provide space for exhibiting work of sculpture in venues outside of their normal gallery context.

Thirty years on and Sculpture in Context has gone from strength to strength. Since 2002, the show has made its home in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin which is annually transformed into a living art gallery.

Artists’ ingenuity, contemporary art and Mother Nature are wonderfully combined here and as the seasons change from summer to autumn, visitors are given a reason to return again and again to see the sculptures and the garden in ever changing conditions.

Sculpture receives a spectacular presentation in the Garden, which is laid out in a variety of settings including glasshouses, ponds and foliage – winding through the 50 acres of landscaped grounds. With over 160 sculptures, this is the most exciting outdoor sculpture exhibition in Ireland.

The show runs from the first week in September to the third week in October every year.