For her sculpture series Nomad Patterns, artist Livia Marin’s ceramic cups and kettles melt into puddles of porcelain while surprisingly retaining their original printed designs. The elaborate faux Chinese motifs of willows, birds and pagodas float out into a glossy ceramic pool still in perfect detail.
Interested in the issues of brokenness and recuperation, Marin’s contrived ceramics question the strength of the relationships we establish with the everyday material objects that we use so habitually. Normally once something is broken, it either stops being used or is thrown away, but every so often a damaged object may linger if the owner feels particularly attached or sentimental.
It is that moment of decision or indecision that can bring new significance to an item that fascinates Marin. She attempts to recreate that necessary judgment in these ambiguously, useful objects and while the integrity and stability of this china should obviously be dubious after such spontaneous liquification, the decorated pottery is still beautiful and alluring in its destruction.
