Photos : Olivier Fatzer, Alexandre Borgeaud

Mémoires de nos Mers

, 2024
pieces of coral and seashells glued to foam board
100 x 70 cm

Approximately 2,000 pieces of coral and shell fragments, arranged in a deliberately rigid pattern of rows and columns, reveal a broad, supple structure: a so-called “soft” coral. “Hard” corals, on the other hand, have a calcium carbonate skeleton, fragments of which are found here. The accumulation of these skeletons on the seafloor creates coral reefs, which provide shelter for soft corals, hard corals, polyps, and 25 percent of marine species. The grid-like arrangement of these remains is reminiscent of the vast American war cemeteries. This work also symbolizes the idea of a memorial. Corals are suffering heavy losses…

Photos : Olivier Fatzer, Alexandre Borgeaud