‘Chordata’ Tulip Vase

This piece was commissioned as a centrepiece for the Old Kitchen Gallery at Marchmont House, a Palladian mansion in the Scottish Borders, in 2023. It focuses purely on form and function. When designing this piece, I drew inspiration from Dutch Tulip Vases and sea creatures called tunicates, which are commonly found around Scotland’s coast. These creatures have barrel-shaped bodies with siphons that admit and expel water.

The functional aspects of this piece are to hold water and flowers, which are received through its siphons. The flowers placed within the vase can appear as an extension of its form, as though growing from within its bulbous centre.

Raised in Sterling Silver, 185mm x 240mm, 2024