Earth Day-22nd April-Katrin Spranger-Aquatopia

At the heart of this year’s Earth Day is a campaign to end plastic pollution. Single use plastic has become an issue that large companies like Pret are starting to attempt to tackle. The pollution of our planet and global warming will never not be a burning issue. Conceptual artist and jeweller Katrin Spranger has taken the idea of water vessels to another level with her work which was unveiled at Collect at the Saatchi Gallery in February.

Aquatopia looks at the dangers of taking for granted the most basic ingredients for human survival, given to us by the Earth, and how we are putting ourselves in danger by squandering our resources. Spranger invites us to view water through a dystopian, yet believable, narrative of increasing demand and damage by rising population and pollution.

As an artist and jeweller, her aim to transform water into a precious material through this visual narrative of objects that highlight its scarcity is achieved by the use of electroforming. Ideas of jewellery being seen as indulgent and extravagant are played out against the materials used, with vessels that are inspired by functional pipes and plumbing. The everyday and necessary plays  against the opulent and extra in one scary and beautiful project.

This Earth Day may be about the battle against the throwaway bottle (amongst other harmful plastics that end up in our rivers and seas), but hopefully Spranger’s water vessels leave a permanent mark on our memories to try and be kinder to our planet every day.

Lil Adams is the London Jewellery School Sundays Studio Manager. Lil studied Fine Art in Leeds and lived in Melbourne before travelling about and settling in London. She now works at the British Architectural Library and enjoys making jewellery with found and natural objects and is shamelessly addicted to casting. You can see her work on instagram @smalltoad_jewellery