The Fine Line Between (Symbiosis and Parasitism)

Royal College of Art graduate, Patricia Mato-Mora, has recently completed a residency at the European Ceramic Work Centre. Whilst there, the artist created The Fine Line Between (Symbiosis and Parasitism) , an architectural installation at the workcentre’s new headquarters in Oisterwijk (NL).

Drawing upon her previous architectural training, Patricia has created the installation as a nod to the twist-fluted solomonic columns, often found in European architecture. The sculpture wraps around the reinforced concrete shaft of one of the building’s columns, and the interaction between the column and the sculpture is duplicitous – at times it can seem symbiotic, drawing life from the architecture, while bringing a touch of musicality to the space – and in others, it may also appear to be choking its prey like a snake.

The Fine Line Between is made from individually press-moulded components, using four kinds of red clay specifically formulated by the artist during her stay at the EKWC, and colourful underglazes made with a high percentage of pigment.

Patricia co-founded and runs the enterprise Drawing the City, and currently teaches architecture and interior architecture at the Architectural Association, and the University for the Creative Arts respectively. Academically, her design briefs question the material configuration and craftsmanship of spaces. Patricia has worked in the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Cameroon, the USA, the Netherlands, China and Japan. Her work has been exhibited and published internationally.

The Fine Line Between (Symbiosis and Parasitism) is now part of the permanent collection of the European Ceramic Workcentre. Discover more at ecers.org .

All images courtesy of the artist