Bronze Fine Arts and Art Installation Design · 2026
Earth Art Series
by Vegesent
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Fine Arts and Art Installation Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Vegesent
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 8,595
- Verification code 40EECD9400 · Verify this award
About Earth Art Series
Earth is a fine art series of ten textured, biodegradable compositions. Each work is made with hand-harvested natural pigments, sand, stone powder, and reclaimed urban materials such as discarded wood. Each color refers to a specific environmental issue. Gold refers to fast fashion, black to fossil fuels, silver to animal agriculture, beige to deforestation, and white to microplastics. The series avoids synthetic substances and follows a zero-waste, water-free process. The works can be hung on a wall or placed flat as sculptural pieces.
Vegesent's Earth Art Series emerges from rich traditions of specimen collection, cabinet of curiosities display methodologies, and contemporary artistic practices that position natural materials within gallery contexts, transforming ephemeral biological processes into contemplative aesthetic objects, the work demonstrates sophisticated engagement with minimalist formal vocabulary, particularly the deployment of geometric enclosure as both literal preservation mechanism and metaphorical framing device that directs attention toward overlooked natural phenomena, the technical execution reveals considerable craft in both the precise fabrication of the metallic housing, which appears to employ brushed or bead-blasted finishing techniques producing subtle directional texture that catches ambient light, and the careful selection and presentation of the moss specimen itself, chosen for its vibrant coloration, varied textural complexity, and apparent vitality, the composition achieves elegant simplicity through centered symmetry and square format repetition, the outer picture frame echoing the inner specimen frame in nested geometric relationship that reinforces themes of enclosure, protection, and focused observation, chromatically the work demonstrates restraint and sophistication, allowing the natural greens of living chlorophyll-rich tissue to provide all chromatic variation against neutral metallic and stone grounds, creating color relationships that feel organic rather than designed yet achieve harmonious analogous relationships within the green-to-grey spectrum, the juxtaposition of manufactured precision and organic irregularity creates productive tension between human ordering systems and ecological spontaneity, between preservation impulse and inevitable transformation, between gallery object and living process, the work invites consideration of how framing alters perception and value, transforming humble ground cover into precious artifact worthy of museum-quality presentation and sustained contemplation, it explores thresholds between inside and outside, contained and wild, preserved and growing, permanent and ephemeral, raising questions about humanity's relationship to natural systems, our impulse to collect, categorize, and control living processes, and the aesthetic and philosophical dimensions of small-scale ecological observation, the intimate scale demands close viewing, rewarding patient attention with revelation of intricate bryophyte architecture, subtle color gradations, and the quiet drama of growth occurring at temporal scales beyond immediate perception, viewers might reflect on what it means to preserve fragments of living systems within artificial contexts, how scale shifts alter appreciation and understanding, what role aesthetic experience plays in fostering ecological consciousness, and whether such acts of framing represent reverence or dominance, appreciation or appropriation, the work seems to propose that beauty, complexity, and significance exist at every scale of observation, that careful attention to overlooked phenomena can generate profound aesthetic and contemplative experiences, and that the relationship between human creative practice and natural processes remains fertile territory for artistic exploration and philosophical inquiry.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This earth art series in ten colors uniquely integrates hand-harvested natural pigments, sand, and reclaimed urban materials into textured, biodegradable compositions. Each color represents a specific environmental issue, turning ecological concerns into tactile visual stories. Gold symbolizes fast fashion, black fossil fuels, silver animal agriculture, beige deforestation, and white microplastic. The works innovate by removing synthetic substances, using zero-waste processes, and developing techniques that reconnect contemporary art with nature’s raw ethical materials.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 100 mm x Depth 15 mm x Heigh 100 mm
- Tags
- sustainable art, biodegradable materials, zero-waste techniques, reclaimed wood art, mineral pigments, environmental awareness, eco-friendly design, ethical art practices, mixed media art, natural textures
- Production Technology
- This series employs hand-harvested sand, natural mineral pigments, and stone powder, integrated with reclaimed urban materials such as discarded wood. Textured surfaces are achieved through biodegradable binding agent. Created using a zero-waste, water-free technique, the process involves manual pigment grinding, custom medium formulation, and sustainable surface treatments to evoke organic, earth-like surfaces.
- Design Challenge
- The absence of comprehensive research and accessible knowledge on the environmental impact of traditional art materials led to years of independent study, testing, and development of sustainable techniques. The greatest challenge was overcoming limited industry support, scarce data, and restrictive production options while navigating social expectations and outdated practices within the art world.
- Project Duration
- The project started in October 2023 in Helsinki, Finland and is ongoing. It has been exhibited at Helsinki City Museum, Helsinki in 2024, Nordic Culture Point, Suomenlinna, Helsinki in 2024, Dormus Historical Building, Helsinki in 2024, Vapaakaupungin Eteisgalleria, Helsinki in 2024, Kulttuuritila Merirasti, Helsinki in 2025, and Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki in 2025. It received the Vegan Choice Award 2024 for ethical material innovation and sustainable art practices.
- Operation Flow
- The artworks can be displayed on a wall or placed flat on a coffee table as sculptural pieces. Viewers are encouraged to engage with both the textured front and the reverse side, where visible marks, paint traces, and raw materials reveal the story of their creation. This openness fosters a deeper human connection, inviting reflection on craftsmanship, process, and the environmental themes each piece represents.
- Research
- This practice-based research focused on creating sustainable, biodegradable art techniques to address environmental and social challenges. Objectives included evaluating sand sterilization, mineral pigment stability, water-free cleaning, biodegradable binders, and reclaimed wood preparation. Methodology involved sieving, sanding, pigment mixing, and wood stabilization. Data from 28 texture, durability, and colorfastness tests guided improvements. Results confirmed viable zero-waste methods, advancing ethical design and ecological awareness with real-world impact on art and sustainability.
- Inspiration
- This project was inspired by my long-standing advocacy for environmental sustainability and animal wellbeing. Drawing on my early artistic training and years of research into ethical art practices, I sought to create a series that embodies meaningful visual storytelling. Motivated to address these concerns through individual, tangible actions, I developed this series to raise awareness about ecological crises through biodegradable materials and symbolic, earth-inspired forms.