Fragile Terrains — Lauren Shapiro Studio

“Fragile Terrains”
Solo Exhibition with
Bianca Boeckel Galeria and
Art Bastion Gallery

In August 2018, Shapiro’s first international solo exhibition “Fragile Terrains” debuted at Bianca Boeckel Galeria with now nomadic Art Bastion Gallery in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The show contained a series of ceramic sculptures, an ephemeral site-specific installation and a video piece which was projected on the back wall of the gallery.

The works reflect the artist’s perception of shifting global landscapes through the lens of her hometown Miami and the interconnectedness of water systems on our planet – how melting ice on one continent will tip the balance and cause seas to rise on another.

Inspired by climate phenomenons, the artist references the connection points between disparate ecological systems, the hidden geometries in nature and her own human presence within them. Cities closely connected with the ocean and water systems require artists to take an active role to create awareness and foster potential solutions to a changing landscape.

Miami shares this commonality with much of South America, and more specifically the Amazon rainforest of Brazil located in Manaus. Directly after this exhibition opened, Shapiro departed to Manaus for the residency with Labverde, to explore the most diverse ecosystem in the world.

The artist, a woman with curly hair, pictured in a dark, dense rainforest with sunlight filtering through the canopy, leaning against a tree surrounded by tropical foliage.

Residency with LABVERDE: Art Immersion Program in the Amazon (2018)

Shapiro participated in a 10-day excursion residency which took place in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil in the summer of 2018. LABVERDE: Art Immersion Program in the Amazon functions as a multidisciplinary platform for the development of nature and ecology critical thinking.

Artists, scientists and other agents of knowledge came together to recognize and narrate nature, in an attempt to create new ways of existing and interacting with the natural environment, as well as speculate on possible futures.

According to Shapiro, “While in the Rainforest I was transported into a dimension of endless time: the noticeable rhythms and biological cycles of growth and decay were marked by the rapid processes of life and death.

I was drawn toward this region’s seemingly limitless biodiversity and considered my own presence within these natural systems and cycles. Immersed in this dynamic environment, I captured textures of flora and other ecological objects in silicone molds.

When I returned to my Miami studio, I activated a section of my wall by inviting visitors to participate in the construction of an unfired clay circle using textures from the molds in unfired clay.

By having a hand in creating these ephemeral installations, it is my hope that others will experience a personal connection to our ecological systems and cultivate environmental stewardship.”

View and download the 2018 Labverde catalog here.

Abstract sculpture with hexagonal and organic shapes on a pedestal, displayed in an art gallery. There is an informational plaque on the wall explaining the artwork and the artist's inspiration.

Artwork featuring a circular arrangement of textured, paper-like material resembling crumpled and torn paper or clay on a white wall in an art gallery.

Round wall sculpture made of beige fabric leaves, berries, and textured elements.

A monochrome sculpture made of clay depicting an arrangement of leaves, berries, and flowers.

Dry brown leaves and seed pods layered on top of each other.

Close-up of a clay sculpture depicting strawberries, leaves, and textured flowers.

Set of seven decorative clay tiles with carved leaf patterns in purple tones, arranged on a concrete surface.

A woman with curly hair looking up from a metal staircase on a tree canopy walk in a forest.

Group of people touring a dense jungle with a large, thick tree.

A woman in a sleeveless top and shorts giving a presentation in a classroom, with a slide showing her name, Lauren Shapiro, projected behind her. Several students are seated facing her.