Natural Capital
2016 78cm x 78cm x 5cm
sculpture: wire, paper-mache, and collaged archival photo

Maslen & Mehra have responded to a piece in the Hastings Museum Collection and created a new sculpture titled Natural Capital. The 16th century, Maiolica dish by Federigo of Modena is thought to be one of the largest examples of this type of ceramics. It depicts several hunting scenes. Maslen & Mehra take this idea of nature as a resource a step further. They have altered the narrative to suggest a system by which natural assets (water, geology, biodiversity, soil, air) and ecosystem services (pollination by insects, recreation, natural flood defences etc..) are given a value. This new work is part of a series which the artists have been researching and developing based on pieces in collections in museums around the world. The sculptures have three themes: Cash, Clash & Climate and have been researched in museums such as the Victoria & Albert and British Museums, London; Mares Museum, Barcelona; the Metropolitan Museum, New York; the Archaeological Museum, the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum, Istanbul; the Asian Museum of Civilization in Singapore and theMuseo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, Italy. Maslen & Mehra fashion the sculptures from wire, papier-mâché, and archival photo decoupage.
Natural Capital at The Hastings Museum 2016