Ceramic and mosaic sculpture · Marseille
Created together by ceramic artist Laurence D’Alvia and mosaic artist Juliette Nass, Medusa Nostra reflects their shared love of the Mediterranean.
With a face weathered by time and serpentine hair adorned with seashells, this Medusa emerges from the depths as a guardian — a poetic manifesto for beauty and the preservation of the natural world.
Medusa Nostra reinterprets the myth of Medusa through the artists’ relationship with the Mediterranean. Laurence D’Alvia and Juliette Nass see this powerful yet vulnerable female figure as a symbol of the harm inflicted on marine ecosystems.
Her weathered ceramic face seems to carry the memory of the depths, while seashells adorn the serpents of her hair. Once a mark of punishment, these serpents become a warning: their shimmering surfaces draw us closer, inviting us to confront what threatens us, what we stand to lose, and what we have a responsibility to protect.
“Others will now meet her gaze — not in fear of turning to stone, but, we hope, with a shared desire to care for the Mediterranean.”
“She reflects who we are and what unites us.”
Ceramics has been part of my life for over twenty years. In my Marseille studio, I work with stoneware, drawing inspiration from the decorative arts and architecture. My pieces combine clean lines with organic curves, in earthy tones and colours inspired by the Mediterranean.
I discovered mosaic art during a trip to Iran. My approach is intuitive: each fragment helps tell a story. In my Marseille studio, I combine glass paste, enamels, mother-of-pearl and gold to explore the play of light and bring rhythm to my compositions.
From clay to seashells, from the studio to the exhibition:
follow the creation of Medusa Nostra as the two artists share their process and tell its story.
Before taking physical form, Medusa Nostra began as an image. Amadeustudio created AI-generated concept images to help the two artists bring their ideas together, develop a shared vision of Medusa and shape the project’s artistic direction.
