During Monaco Ocean Week 2024, which runs from March 18 to 22, an unedited work of art called Téthys en Bleue is being exhibited in the Atrium of the Casino of Monte Carlo. This piece was created by sculptor Louise Manzon, who came to Monaco specifically to draw attention to the urgent issue of ocean pollution. The artwork conveys a powerful message about protecting our seas and oceans.
“We don’t have any more time to waste,” said the Brazilian artist when she met news.mc at the statue. “Being here during Ocean Week is very important to me as an artist because it’s a chance to send a message, to contribute to increasing sensitivity, consideration and love for the ocean and its creatures emphasising the need to protect them. For me, art is a powerful means of communication because it evokes emotions, and emotions go directly to our hearts.”
Thétys is the main character of the artwork. In Greek mythology, she was the youngest of Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, and the sister and wife of Oceanus. “For me, she became an inspiration because she represents the primordial mother of the crystalline and pure waters where everything was uncontaminated. Thétys and Oceanus gave birth to all oceans, rivers, lakes, and spring waters. She is the ancient mother who cares for the whole aquatic world and is also the guardian of the wounded and sorrowful sea living creatures, capable of regenerating and helping to rediscover lost harmony, beauty, and peace,” Louise Manzon explains.
The artwork Téthys en Bleue by the artist aims to use aesthetic storytelling to evoke empathy and respect for the ocean and its creatures. For Manzon, the female figure of Téthys, possessing great purifying strength, can attract and transform polluting plastic that is suffocating and destroying her aquatic environment into sea foam, algae, and pure water. Through her authority, the Titan is using all her strength and determination to restore the marine ecosystem to its original, uncontaminated state. Manzon explains: “With ‘Téthys en Bleue’ I wanted to use materials that call for experimentation and manipulation to change their original shape and function. Again, I want to give dignity and beauty to a material that has become blamed for most of our ocean ecological disasters. By doing that, I want to shift the attention not to the material itself but to each one of us’ responsibility in changing our attitude toward consumption and recycling.”
Louise Manzon has created an impressive artwork using recycled materials such as ceramic and PET plastic bottles. For all who are alarmed at the perils faced by our oceans, the artwork is a beautiful representation of the sea, created with minute attention to detail by Manzon herself.he artwork is a beautiful representation of the sea, created with minute attention to detail by Manzon herself. She skillfully molded and manipulated the terracotta and plastic bottles to form a breathtaking depiction of the sea in blue, brown, and white colors. The sea is composed entirely of recycled plastic bottles, which would otherwise have been discarded and polluted the ocean. The artwork also features four white fish made of glazed and painted ceramic. Additionally, Thétys, a potent primordial goddess, stands tall in a blue dress adorned with organic forms made of recycled plastic bottles. To emphasise the urgency of action needed to save the oceans, the entire artwork is covered with metallic watch faces to remind us that time is of the essence. This unique art installation plays a crucial role in raising awareness and inspiring change, urging each of us, like Thétys, to join the fight for ocean preservation.
Louise Manzon is a sculptor who prefers to follow her own path rather than the latest trends in the art industry. Born in Brazil with French roots, she only discovered her passion for sculpting about twelve years ago, after working as an industrial and graphic designer. Louise Manzon’s artistic expression is grounded in her research of materials, colors, and the fluidity of forms. As time went on, it became increasingly important for her to use her art to send out important messages in a time of humanitarian and ecological emergencies. She honed her painting and sculpting techniques at prestigious institutions such as the Pratt Institute, the Art Students League, and the National Academy of Design in New York. In 2022, she received the Bronze Bee Award at the Milan Triennale.
