Claudia Comte
Five Marble Leaves
Now + There
Central Wharf Park, Boston
September 2022 – Present
Swiss artist Claudia Comte has long been inspired by the wonders of nature. Her love of flora and fauna from different environments has resulted in magnificent sculptures in the form of cacti, coral, and leaves. Inspired by the 24 pin and red oak trees inhabiting Central Wharf Park, she developed this new body of work, Five Marble Leaves. The enlarged leaves are the product of Comte’s study of the varieties of oak in the park. The oak leaves’ “star-like” shape led to totemic yet whimsical sculptures carved from Carrara marble.
The five works are rendered in various engaging forms and placed along the path to the Boston waterfront as if they had fallen from the trees. The works reflect the seasonal cycle of leaves, falling in autumn and growing back in spring. Leading the viewer to reflect upon a woodland environment the installation highlights the often-overlooked miracle of nature. The five sculptures are complemented by six marble plaques bearing fragments of quotes by leading environmental activists such as David Attenborough, Rachel Carson, Jane Goodall, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Greta Thunberg, and Paul Watson.
Recognizing that humans are above all emotional beings, Comte combines sentiment, play, and information to help engender love for nature and the environment. The lively sculptures are intended to rouse a warm, affectionate response toward nature. The artist welcomes the public to lay on, touch, and feel the works while nearby plaques bearing quotes by noted environmentalists highlight human interdependence with the natural world and the severity of the environmental crisis. Together, the quotes and sculptures provoke a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Quotes
“The natural world is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”
- David Attenborough
“I have learned you are never too small to make a difference.”
- Greta Thunberg
“Intelligence is the ability of a species to live in harmony with its environment.”
- Paul Watson
“Each of us can contribute with our votes, our voices, our food choices, our skills and our dollars.”
- Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
“In nature, nothing exists alone.”
- Rachel Carson
“Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, we will help. Only if we help, we shall be saved.”
- Jane Goodall
Guest Curator: Pedro Alonzo
Curatorial Assistant: Inés Maldonado Cabañas
IG @claudiacomte / claudiacomte.ch
Photo credit: Charles Mayer