Tidal Box with the lid of the box open, showing details of tidal channels on the left and right panels and animals and plants on the middle panel. and Tidal Box with the lid of the box and the central panel open, showing energy flow diagram, water flux influences, and habitat images on the right hand panel and ceramic representations of animals living in the tidal channels.
Wunderkammern: Tidal Box
Typically, wunderkammern simply store and statically display their contents. When I found an old aluminum small parts box, I wanted to use it to present the overarching impact of incessant tidal movements of the ocean around Beaufort, NC. In addition to the lid’s outside and inside, there was room to place my ceramic pieces inside the box itself. However, I added a hinged flap that provides two additional surfaces for display. Throughout the Tidal Box piece, the effects of tides are shown as Google Earth images, NOAA charts, tide tables, and flow charts.
As the box is opened, images take the viewer from high altitude to ground level views in a salt marsh where Clay CameraTM pieces show salt grass and a sand bar. Decals provide additional information about the residents of this area, many of which are commercially important. As the inner door is opened to the left, the obverse shows processes that occur in addition to tidal flux. Energy flow dynamics are presented and impacts of climate and ocean level rise on the marsh are shown. Lastly, the bottom of the box contains representatives of many of the types of animals that live among salt marshes.
Tidal Box, 2019. Recycled aluminum box and sheet, white stoneware colored with local clays; NOAA waters chart and tide tables, decoupage and decals. 6” x 14” box mounted on 18″ x 18″ backing. View with box closed; satellite imagery, water channels, and tidal/moon phase graphs are on the lid. NFS.
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