California-based artist Crystal Morey (previously featured) delves into the intricate relationship between humans and nature through her captivating ceramic sculptures. These thought-provoking pieces feature people encased in animals, their delicate forms molded from clay. With rich textures, emotive gestures, and subdued tones, Morey’s hybrid figures contemplate the unknown future of our planet and the impact of human actions on the natural world.
Many of the animals she chooses — such as polar bears and blackbuck antelopes — are on the brink of endangerment, adding greater significance to her themes around environmental protection. As Morey aptly puts it, “Today every action has a reaction we can see: in climate change, deforestation, ocean acidity, and the hunting of animals. All of these actions are causing havoc and leading us to an unsustainable environment”. Through her sculptures, she reveals the delicate dependencies we share with our surroundings.