75 GROHE Magazine 74 Pure Freude an Wasser Mattison follows pioneering artists such as Spencer Tunick and Celia Gregory glaze which becomes brittle when used imitating the tiny intricate coral branches Mattison is not the only artist exploring underwater spac es as both sources of inspiration and activism as well as backdrops and canvases For example Celia Gregory a British artist who works with mosaics and 3D technology created an underwater sculpture park in 2016 Surround ing her wonderland on the actual land was an eco and wellness festival that included talks and workshops on damaged biospheres and ocean research while guests could also snorkel or free dive around Gregory s work and take in the emotional impact of her submerged gar den This is also echoed in her work Belize Sea Goddess which she erected underwater during National Reef Week at another marine reserve that summer Sometimes you have to see things to feel them in the same way that nature documentaries pair awe factor with resounding sadness The work of an artivist like Mattison follows that of pioneers such as photographer Spencer Tunick who also makes site specific projects that chal lenge and provoke the onlooker to become more socially and environmentally concerned It makes perfect sense then that Mattison s master s thesis sought to create a monument to the plight of coral reefs to advocate for en vironmental stewardship and policy change The result of this thesis was an unsubtle if considerate aggressor an exquisite coral reconstruction installation entitled Our Changing Seas I A Coral Reef Story fol lowed in later years by Our Changing Seas II and III Towering at almost five meters high and more than three meters wide and weighing over 680 kilograms its pres ence was affecting Great slimy algae and blossoming red coral merges into damaged bleached imitation reef as an imposing representation of recovery and dread or in the artist s words a sense of hope for recovery reflecting my interview participants insistence that hopeful imagery would inspire more action than portrayals of doom In a bid to save coral reefs from the dangers of pollution the self proclaimed artivist transposes her marine biology background into her fine sculpture work I love coral reefs for being exotic diverse and often venomous says Mattison of her underwater fascination

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