Catalysts

Ceramic, tin, wood, rope, variable dimensions, 2024

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In her installation work Catalysts, Melita Couta revisits traditional vessels, tools, and objects used in the vinification processes in Cyprus. Through an intricate assemblage of ceramic, tin, organic materials, and found objects, Couta’s sculptures draw inspiration from the processes of fermentation, distillation, and filtration—associated with the transformation of must into spirit. These sculptures explore the mystical conversion of one substance into another—such as the transformation of grape into wine—suggesting that this alchemical-like process involves invisible micro-operations that occur largely beyond human control or intervention. Couta’s ceramic assemblages become uncanny devices referring to functional objects of a peculiar practical application, organic shapes, and body parts. Suspended in mid-air, these vessels are punctured and bottomless, moving away from the traditional role of containers. Instead, they become passages or channels, acting as catalysts for both material and immaterial processes, allowing transformative activities to flow through their openings and voids. By blending organic and inorganic materials, these sculptures explore the deep connection between the man-made and the natural. This synergy finally evokes a sense of timelessness, merging the ancient craft of vinification with contemporary questions of transformation, of co-existence with and within ecological communities, and the delicate balance between human intervention and natural forces.

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Images from the installation at Lania Oil Mill Factory.