Linnéa Gad ’22 Presents ‘Return of the Mollusk’ at Astor Weeks

Visual Arts alum Linnéa Gad ’22 is presenting a new exhibition, Return of the Mollusk, at Astor Weeks. The exhibition delves into the intricate cycles of creation, transformation, and decay found in nature. Through a deep engagement with lime, a material symbolic of both human innovation and destruction, Gad creates sculptures that evoke the process of layering and regeneration seen in mollusk shells. Her works are deeply personal, shaped by her upbringing in Sweden's archipelago, and her artistic journey has led her to explore the cosmic parallels between the mollusk and the nebula.

Gad's works often focus on materials like bark, cardboard, porcelain, and sheet metal, which she transforms through layering techniques reminiscent of the mollusk’s gradual shell-building. One of her key sculptures, Protoconch, reflects this approach: layers of paper pulp and slag are built up on the sculpture’s surface. Through this method, Gad explores the concept of calcium biomineralization—where the elements used by nature to form shells and other structures are replicated in her own art-making process. This layering mirrors the dynamic nature of life, where each addition leads to a new phase of growth.

At the heart of Gad’s work lies a fascination with the mollusk and its shell. She sees the mollusk as a creator, much like herself, compelled to build its protective exterior. This connection is deeply philosophical, with Gad referencing Paul Valéry’s metaphor of the seashell as a symbol for the genesis of poetry. Both the mollusk’s shell and the poet’s work are born out of an internal need to protect and shape the self. This idea of protection and layering resonates across Gad’s sculptures, which evoke not just the growth of shells, but the cycle of life itself.

Gad’s work also explores the cosmic scale, specifically through her contemplation of nebulae. A turning point in her thinking occurred when she returned from the studio one day, covered in lime dust, and read a study suggesting that calcium came to Earth from a supernova. For Gad, this idea links the very material of her art to the stars, with calcium forming everything from oyster shells to bones, carrying the essence of stardust across the universe. In this way, the mollusk’s process of building its shell is connected to the creation of nebulae, which also produce calcite. This realization ties her earthy sculptures to celestial phenomena, further exploring the cyclical nature of life and creation.

In her piece Mantle and Sole, Gad incorporates amber glass into sheet metal structures, linking the warm, golden hues of amber to the mollusk’s form. Amber, she suggests, is the earthly counterpart to the cosmic substance of stardust—once liquid sunlight, now pressed into a stone-like gem. In these sculptures, the mollusk, in its nebula-like form, is returned to the universe, embodying both terrestrial and celestial elements.

In this way, Gad connects the smallest scale of organic growth to the vastness of the universe, reminding viewers of the interconnectedness of all things, from the smallest mollusk to the farthest star. The result is a body of work that evokes deep time, cosmic processes, and the constant reconfiguration of matter in the universe. 

Return of the Mollusk can be viewed through December 14, 2024 at Astor Weeks.