$ 1,900.00
Unique kiln formed wall art by Portland, OR artist Joseph Enszo.
Each Diatomite is approximately 3.5″ x 2.5″ x .5″ and is easily installed with a single screw adhered to the back of the glass. 15 individual pieces.
Each Diatomite glass sculpture contains bursts of vibrantly colored hand crafted murrine, and is cut and meticulously polished to appear like a fluxing hybrid chunk of water and stone, as if organisms and habitat could be petrified together. Ready to hang with simple instructions included.
Inspired by Diatoms – 4 reasons why they are wonderful:
1) They are glass sculptors! These single celled algae synthesize beautiful biogenic silica (glass) cell walls called “frustules”.
2) They are a major source of the Earth’s oxygen. It’s estimated that they produce 20 – 40% of the oxygen in our atmosphere and the oxygen we breathe.
3) Carbon Sequestration:
Through the process of photosynthesis, they absorb large quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide. When diatoms die, their silica-rich frustules (shells) help them sink to the ocean floor, carrying the absorbed carbon with them. This process sequesters carbon in deep ocean sediments, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and mitigating the greenhouse effect to some extent.
4) Oceanic Food Webs: Diatoms form the base of marine food webs, serving as primary food sources for zooplankton, which are then consumed by larger marine animals.
Taking inspiration from microscopic life, Joseph Enszo utilizes traditional Italian techniques, refined to emphasize the natural properties of glass under various physical forces. Enszo’s aesthetic is a unique intersection of three components: Italian decorativeness, Eastern simplicity, and a reference to natural science.
