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An Interview with Artist Michael Aram

Conserving Coral Through Art

"By destroying ecosystems, we lose our natural heritage."

—Michael Aram, Artist

Michael Aram, a U.S. artist who works primarily in metal, has been inspired by the ocean’s beauty to not only emulate it but to help conserve it. Incorporating nature and traditional culture into his art is a hallmark of Michael Aram’s work, allowing him to bridge the gap between the artist and artisan.

Aram, shown hammering his Washer Bowl, was inspired to work with metal while on a trip to India. Michael Aram

After studying fine art and working as an artist in New York in the late 1980s, Aram took what would later be a life-altering trip to India where he discovered rich metalworking traditions. Inspired to work with indigenous craftsmen whose skills he felt were largely untapped, Aram turned his creative energies toward designs inspired by their traditional art, setting up workshops in New York and in New Delhi.

Aram makes each piece of art by hand, using age-old techniques, so no two are ever exactly the same. This allows them to exist between the realm of fine and decorative art, a unique mélange that sits comfortably at home in contemporary as well as in more classical interiors.

Aram’s Coral Reef Collection is no exception. He takes its inspiration from the mystical and serene symbolism associated with aquatic imagery. Items from the collection—including trays, bowls, candleholders and servers—evoke the beauty of the ocean while reflecting its fragile nature. As a partner in SeaWeb’s Too Precious to Wear campaign, Aram has generously donated some of these treasures to SeaWeb for display to raise awareness of the threats to corals. He also took time out to talk to SeaWeb about what inspired him to use his art to promote ocean conservation.

Coral Reef Candleholder. Michael Aram

Seaweb: How did you become involved in metalsmithing and the home décor industry?

Michael Aram: As a student of art and art history, I always preferred sculpture to painting. It was difficult to experiment and develop my work, however, as metal is a challenging material that is difficult to maneuver. While visiting India in 1989, I discovered groups of metalworkers in Old Delhi creating utilitarian objects using ancient metalworking techniques. I started working alongside them, creating a small collection of decorative metal objects and founding the cornerstone of my commitment to craft-based design.

SW: When did you first become aware of the impacts on the natural world from the use of certain materials?

MA: The market for elephant ivory—[and] its ban in 1989—made me very aware of material sourcing’s devastation on the natural world. Working in India, I am also keenly aware of the annihilation of the tiger population due to poaching for skins and other byproducts. [Taking coral from the ocean and reef destruction] is no less jarring or dramatic. Few realize that coral is also a living animal and that its depletion is devastating for other ocean communities.

SW: How does the design industry as a whole view conservation and environmental stewardship?

Coral Reef Bowl. Michael Aram

MA: I see that the design community has placed a huge focus on moral and ethical trade in the past several years, spanning everything from safety in the workplace to workers’ rights and fair trade. Of course the “green revolution” has also been at the forefront of recent marketing campaigns, but thankfully I believe there is a deeper commitment and heightened consciousness of these issues within the industry.

SW: Have you noticed an increase in your customers’ demand for products that are environmentally sustainable?

MA: Consumers are absolutely more interested in knowing whether or not products are environmentally sustainable. We regularly receive questions asking if materials are recycled, environmentally safe and sustainable. I think that consumers are more aware of the toxins in our everyday environments and, as a result, want to create homes that are safe for today and for our planet tomorrow.

SW: What made you choose coral as the inspiration for one of your iconic product lines?

MA: I love representing natural forms in my work since they offer so much inspiration. No matter how much the object is manipulated, it remains very believable. The endless variation of shapes, textures and even color in natural coral offer me, as a sculptor, an enormously inspiring vocabulary of forms.

SW: What message are you trying to convey through this line?

Coral Reef Serving Set. Michael Aram

MA: I want to convey to consumers that coral is a wonderfully precious and magical material, yet one that is also well suited to alternative interpretations. Rather than use them as the final material, designers have the opportunity to transform endangered materials into creative inspiration.This allows for much more artistry and richness of thought versus waste of precious material.

SW: Why did you become involved with SeaWeb and Too Precious to Wear?

MA: I became involved to help raise awareness of the preciousness and fragility of the natural world. I also want to encourage others to tread lightly on our planet and be mindful of leaving this world as beautiful a place for future generations. There is so much we still do not know about the ocean. By destroying ecosystems, we lose our natural heritage.

SW: What can your peers in the home décor industry do to help conserve our marine resources?

MA: Firstly, the home design industry needs to be utterly sensitive to the materials we use and how their use affects the planet. By educating and policing ourselves and communicating the choice for alternative materials, we can raise consumer awareness to the growing problems facing our ocean.

SW: How can the average citizen affect environmental well-being through his or her purchasing decisions?

MA: Being “green” has so many components, and choices can be manifold. Firstly, there is nothing wrong with “conserving,” and by that, I mean buying less! Our society has wasted resources and purchased products of poor quality and limited lifespan for too long. By committing oneself to buying products that are timeless, of high quality and made through a sensitive process, the world’s resources and our own sense of culture will be enriched. Ideally, I would like to see people purchase objects with the idea that they are acquiring heirlooms for future generations, rather than disposable products destined for landfills.

Aram, who makes each piece of art by hand, creates the shapes for his Leaf Trivet. Michael Aram

—SeaWeb

For more information on Michael Aram and to see his Coral Reef Collection, go to his Web site.