Areniscos by Victor Castanera

The word “areniscos” refers to sandstone, a rock born out of the earth’s own industry. The formation of sandstone is a patient and natural process of accumulation by sedimentation and pressure; unadulterated fabrication captures Victor Castanera’s vision for his artistic endeavor Areniscos, which also treats Mother Earth as the ultimate sculpture and creator. Areniscos is just as much about the process as it is about the outcome. Beautiful bowls of plaster, coated in a sandy exterior represent both the smooth white of the intervention and rough, textured grain from nature. In crafting each piece, Castanera first pours water onto a sandy beach to create a depression in topography. After the water evaporates, plaster coats the well and hardens into the bowl’s form, also taking up the grains of sand on the underside. Not only is each bowl unique in its shape, but it also preserves the memory of the making. The entire project is a statement that challenges modern industrial production and offers naturally occurring systems as a sustainable alternative to the manufacturing process.

Images © Victor Castanera