In Plastic Blue (2019), Natasja Alers explores themes of materiality and transformation, blending fluid, organic forms with the tactile solidity of ceramics. The piece’s striking blue glaze recalls the industrial aesthetic while paradoxically celebrating the handmade. Influenced by Antony Gormley’s spatial explorations, the sculpture transcends its materiality, inviting the viewer to reflect on the interplay between the human form and its surroundings. The piece evokes Thomas Schütte’s approach to abstraction, with its layered texture and ambiguous shape balancing fragility and strength. Alers uses the expressive potential of ceramics to explore themes of identity and material culture, resulting in a piece that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
