This La Mer series abstracts the architecture of marine life from the microscopic primary producers, corals and beyond. The sculptures play off the interdependent elements in single-cell colonies, their growth via binary fission and symbiosis within the coral reef ecosystems for a start.
Jacques Cousteau said, “People protect what they love.” One must first be aware of the extraordinary life supporting our blue planet. Hagan’s work magnifies and makes a climacteric call to do just that, fall in love now.
hand-built ceramic, 24K gold leaf, 15” x 9.5” x 10”. Nefertiti was acquired by the Michener Art Museum in 2021.
Snorkeling and diving visions from Cuba and Cayman combined with the focus of Rising Tides: Contemporary Art & the Ecology of Water in 2020 at the Michener Art Museum inspired this most complex piece to date. Now a part of the permanent collection, you can visit Nefertiti at the Michener.
Once a year in late July, early August, when brain corals in tropical waters sense a specific spectrum of light produced by the rays of the full moon, an extraordinary event commences. For this annual slip of a moment, brain corals spawn future generations. The female brain coral releases gametes or eggs first and 15-20 minutes later males release sperm that are fertilized in a process called broadcasting.
Celebrating the mass synchronization in divine royalty, this abstract sculpture is adorned in opulent pearl (egg) laden appendages forming her crown. The outstretched finger-like fringe of the sculpture plays on the brain coral’s tentacles which rise from their labyrinth surface at night. With a profile likening the famous bust of the only female Egyptian Pharaoh, who ruled the most successful time in Egypt’s history, her name and intent align. The beautiful woman has indeed come, abundant and life-giving, broadcasting a critical and timely intention for our oceans and planet.
Nefertiti was completed during the cocoon of COVID lockdown for Rising Tides: Contemporary Art & the Ecology of Water. A profound time and process. The female group exhibit at the Michener Art Museum, curated by Laura Igoe fortunately was able to open July 20, 2020 - Jan 10, 2021. The exhibit celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and 100 years of Women’s Right to Vote which finally includes all women.
ceramic, 4.25” x 3.5” x 6”
The newest Marine Abstract is inspired by the deep sea glass sponge named for the Goddess of Love. The deep sea love story begins when the male and female shrimp larvae move into the sponge mating for life.
As the shrimp grow, the sponge becomes their permanent home in this symbiotic relationship.
The design of the silica lace sponge is an incomparable model of engineering and strength for high rise buildings.
The fiber optic-like silica threads rooting the sponge to the sea floor are alive with micro bioluminescent organisms. This light is transported through the glass lace making the sponge a beacon in the dark depths approximately 2000-3000’ in the marine Twilight Zone.
hand-built ceramic, 5.25” x 6.75” x 5.75”
Inspired by snorkeling among the brilliant brain coral in the sunlit reef of Cayo Blanco (White Key) a few hours off Trinidad, Cuba.
Warm-water corals live in shallow tropical ocean waters worldwide. Corals are marine invertebrates and the brain coral is named for it labyrinth-like surface resembling a brain. With extraordinary smarts, they are in the class Anthozoa meaning flower animals and live in compact colonies of genetically identical individual polyps. They secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton providing the structure for their soft animal colony.
Corals are animal and a plant that create their own foundation as they grow and typically build on older generations. The warm water corals share a symbiotic relationship with a form of plankton, a dinoflagellate zooxanthellae that lives in its tissue. This resident photosynthesizing organism provides its green-powered energy in exchange for its protection along with many more mutual benefits.
Our corals are in grave danger from ocean acidification, pollutants, rising temperatures, toxins, drilling and other human damages. They need our protection and we need their ecosystem and extraordinary life-support of our blue planet.
hand-built ceramic, 6.5” x 8.25” x 6.5”
These four works from Cayman Crush to Blushing are inspired by the exquisite engineering of sea sponges seen while diving Cayman Island.
Sponges are the filter system of the ocean clearing 90% of its bacteria and more while also producing oxygen. The the first HIV treatment was modeled after compounds in a specific sea sponge and the first marine sourced drug for cancer came from sea sponges. The list continues making protecting our planet’s largest ecosystem, the ocean a crucial investment.
hand-built ceramic, 6.5” x 8.25” x 6.5”
hand-built ceramic, 6.75” x 4” x 5”
hand-built ceramic, 3.25” x 5” x 2.5”
hand-built ceramic, 10.75” x 14” x 15”
This radiolaria-inspired abstract celebrates thriving and growth. Single-cell organisms often reproduce asexually by a process called binary fission, one cell splits producing a second. The new cell is called a daughter cell. On some occasions, as in mine, one is blessed with two.
hand-built ceramic, 9” x 9” x 9”
Radiolarians are some of the earliest micro-life forms on Earth developing with the Cambrian Period about 540 million years ago. Prickly Persistence celebrates the exquisite glass lace architecture and sustained life-giving one-cell gems. Note to Humans: They are among the primary producers interdependently and inclusively working for all life long before we arrived.
Radiolaria, from Latin, radius - spoke of a wheel; radiolus, diminutive - little spokes. Radiolarian are protist, single-cell marine organisms specifically protozoa (proto: first; zoo: animal).
hand-built ceramic, 5.75” x 6.5” x 4”
The radiating tentacles of this coral pompom intend continuous thriving indeed for the endangered coral.
I visited Dr. Erik Cordes and PhD candidate Alexis Weinnig at Temple University Labs in Phildelphia with Diane Burko after his historic discovery in August 2018. He found the largest known L. Pertusa reef, approximately 100 miles long off the coast of South Carolina. Sharing science and art with Dr. Cordes and his team inspired this piece and our ongoing connection.
Reef-building, deep sea coral, lophelia pertusa lives far beneath sunlight in cold, deep ocean waters. The colonial organism consists of many individual polyps that live on the calcium carbonate skeleton of previous generations. Each polyp is encircled with tentacles. Dating shows the extremely slow growing reef like this one may be 40,000 yrs old. This reef was in the proposed site for drilling although it is recognized as a threatened habitat in need of protection. As a result of Dr. Cordes discovery, the Charleston Chamber of Commerce reached out in a bi-partisan effort and announced the area was safe. Thank you, Dr. Cordes for your research and epic reveal keeping an ancient coral forest and a significant part of our marine ecosystem safe for the time being.
May this protection last.
hand-built ceramic, 6” x 7.5” x 6”
The frustule or diatom "shell" is usually composed of two overlapping sections or valves. This overlapping allows for some internal expansion and is essential during the reproduction process. The frustule also contains many pores that provide the diatom access to the environment, filtering and floatation. When in a colony (connected to system of fellow cells), the cells reproduce asexually via binary fission expanding from the inside out. The newest cells or daughter cells are in the center of the colony and the process continues with each new cell smaller than the previous one. Eventually, when too small to split, they convert to sexual reproduction producing an ovum and sperm to begin the dance all over again.
Characteristic of this abstract series, this piece sits in various poses and perspectives.
