Boulder Footstool by Elissa Lacoste, France, 2019

Elissa Lacoste's 'I Dream of Megalithic Times' series: Boulder Footstool, 2019. Composed of various speleothem-like shapes emerging from silicone skins infused with earthly pigments. This collection of functional art pieces challenges conventional notions with its evocative fleshy consistency, indefinable colours, and gnarly textures. Within this alternative realm, the presumed functions of the pieces become undomesticated, morphing different affordances into a singular element that blurs the boundaries between form and function. Alien earthlings form an inverted troglodyte interior relating to a primal identity of the visitor, who curiously and sensuously uncovers the whimsical environment. Like a karst topography adorned with horizontal lines of frothy puddles and bolt upright rubbery stone formations, this series relates to the natural on myriad scales, from mold growth to canyons.

'I Dream of Megalithic Times' draws inspiration from the natural world, connecting to its intricacies on various scales, from the growth of molds to the grandeur of canyons. This series prompts viewers to ponder the borderlands between inside and outside, urging them to question their preconceived ideas of materiality and explore the depths of their imagination.

Elissa Lacoste, the visionary behind this captivating series, is a French designer and artist who has made her home in Montréal, Canada since 2019. Her work is a manifestation of her quest for the wild, the inexplicable, and the sensorial within the confines of contemporary boundaries. With unconventional textures and vibrant aesthetics, Lacoste's sculptural pieces hover between the realms of reality and surrealism, all while retaining a touch of functionality. Through her art, she unveils an otherness that prompts introspection on our relationship with the physical environment, whether human-made or natural.