Artist Turns Ordinary Materials Into Extraordinary Experimental Sculptures

By
Pie
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British multi-media sculptor Rowan Mersh loves to explore the natural resources of the world and revealing their inherent beauty through his work. His diverse and experimental approach can transform ordinary materials into extraordinary pieces of art.

One of his amazing works is contemporary sculptures made of thousands of seashells. Each piece can take between two to six months to complete and his finished sculptures were intricately detailed, showing each shell their unique character.

According to Mersh, their individuality is part of the whole structure. He follows the direction of every shell with the final figure taking cues from the shape of each piece. “I attempt to respond to each shell on its own merit to emphasize these qualities; If a shell is curved I want to show this, working fluid angles or brush strokes into the surfaces I create,” he told My Modern Met.

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Dreamcatcher V by Rowan Mersh Sliced Doxander Vittatus Shells, Fluorocarbon, 2017, Unique – Delivering an elaborate mosaic of cream and white tones set against a delicately intricate lace-like texture, Dreamcatcher V is a stunning embodiment of Rowan Mersh’s formal and conceptual explorations. Inspired by the vernacular tradition of the native North American Dreamcatcher, Mersh’s eponymous body of work, whose first example was awarded Best Contemporary Design at PAD London 2016, threads together social and artistic histories, creating rich tapestries whose stories are embedded in their wavering surface patterns. Weaving together a web of shells that reveals the centrifugal energy of its execution, the artist conveys heightened depth and dynamism to the seemingly two-dimensional surface of the work. – Current Shows Johannes Nagel: Vessels, Perhaps 2010-2017 | 26 February – 29 April 2018 Studio Handmade | 26 February – 29 April 2018 – #galleryfumi #fumishow #dreamcatcher #rowanmersh #shells #shellsculpture #johannesnagel #ceramics #vessels #contemporaryart #contemporarydesign #collectableart #collectabledesign#uniquedesigns @mayfairdesigndistrict

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Shell sculpure by Rowan Mersh on view at #galleryfumipopup along with a selection of works by the artist. – Pithváva Praegressus II Rowan Mersh, 2017 Dentalium Shells – Mersh experiments with form by exploring and celebrating the natural qualities of materials that he uses for the creation of extraordinary works. His hard, sculptural, shell pieces are famous for their fluidity and soft-like aesthetic that he creates by painstakingly handassembling each shell into mesmerising patterns. – Gallery FUMI Pop-Up Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy 6 – 26 August 2018 – #galleryfumi #galleryfumipopup #popupexhibition #portocervo2018 #interiordesign #contemporaryart #contemporarydesign #rowanmersh #pithvavapraegressus #sculpture #shellssculpture #dentaliushells #summerinspiration #summervibes #portocervo @promenadeduport

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