Bleached

Lillian Cheng

Bleached

2026

Air-dry clay, acrylic paints

This conch shell is made from air-dry clay and painted with acrylic paint. The color on the interior of the sculpted shell slowly bleeds into a pure white, illustrating the life of the ocean under the impact of global warming, specifically what literally happens with coral bleaching, where the pigment leaves the coral. It was sculpted using a technique similar to how pinch pots are made. I crafted two parts of the shell and used the score and slip method to stick them together. I then etched lines going from the center interior of the shell to the outward edges to create a dynamic effect. The oceans and coral reefs hold a special place in my heart. I was taken aback by the stark difference between the reefs now and 20 years ago. I connected this to the broader issue of environmental justice, recognizing that just as different regions of the world are disproportionately affected by climate change, different groups of people, often poor and minority groups, are also impacted in unequal ways.