Stolen objects from the sea

In our VR world of NFT and digital experiences, instead of meeting in the metaverse, Uchronia and Antoine Billore meet on our flat earth and turn their heads towards the beauty of our oceans, highlighting the species that roam our seabed as well as alerting us to those that are disappearing.

The notion of meta is explored in analog form, through the display of hundreds of ceramic fish and shells, the sides carved to reveal hundreds of others living inside. These vintage pieces from Vallauris, meticulously assembled by Antoine of Stolen Objects from My Exes, form a surreal backdrop for new pieces designed by Uchronia (and some by friends), which appear like visions of the sea. These relic-like pieces, resembling anemones, starfish and more, are made, using the best French craftsmanship, from materials such as raku,

marble stucco and wood marquetry, all heavily textured as if dredged from a sunken ship. Through a humorous wink, and refined handiwork, we highlight what we have to lose, our vital eco-systems of the disappearing coral reefs. Showing a continued story of French craft, from the past brilliance of Vallauris to the new wave of craft and design, the show reinforced the importance of

using man’s hand for good, for the creation of beauty, rather than its destruction.