Lauren Shapiro merges ceramics, technology and science to build a physical incarnation of a lost coral reef in her most recent site-specific work, Site R16 Transect 1, a monument showcasing the organic textures and colors of an ecologically diverse marine landscape. Once hidden beneath the waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in the French Frigate Shoals, Rapture Reef was flattened in 2018 by a hurricane strengthened by the effects of climate change. Molded and cast from a prototype of 3D photogrammetry scans by marine ecologists, Site R16 Transect 1 reflects this now-extinct coral population, making it visible again to land dwellers in the form of dimensional clay tiles stacked inside of a gold-framed monolith. 

Shapiro’s monolith combines natural and synthetic materials, which responds to Miami’s Art Deco influence and recalls the natural beauty of the local landscape which has been lost to development. With this work, she aims to encourage environmental stewardship by memorializing an ecosystem similar to  South Florida's own coral populations, cultivating an awareness of these fragile environments.

Site R 16 Transect 1 is part of No Vacancy, a contemporary art happening that celebrates artists, promotes critical discourse and invites the public to experience Miami Beach’s famed hotels as destination art spaces and temporary galleries. No Vacancy is an international art competition spanning 10 days on Miami Beach with 10 exhibits at 10 different hotels. Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) awarded the No Vacancy 2021 Juror’s Choice Award to Shapiro for her project at the Royal Palm South Beach.

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Born and raised in South Florida, Shapiro is drawn to the precarious fate of her local environment. She explores the systems, patterns and tipping points in nature, rendering her findings in ceramic sculptures and clay installations. Shapiro’s work exists at the intersection of observation and preservation; she studies data from diverse ecological systems and uses casting processes to interpret and archive environmental textures made in clay from plaster and silicone molds.

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