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“For Show.” All images © Calvin Ma, courtesy of Modern Eden Gallery, shared with permission

In ‘Blend In,’ Calvin Ma’s Ceramic Feathered Figures Yearn to Belong

Kate Mothes

The figures in Calvin Ma’s otherworldly sculptures soar through the night sky, encounter swarms of insects, or stand among tropical flowers in Blend In: Standstill at Modern Eden. The artist continues an ongoing series (previously) exploring the intense desire to belong or fit in, creating hybrid individuals that don the likenesses of myriad birds, from peacocks to owls to pigeons. In nature, feathers provide protection, camouflage, and communication with other birds; in Ma’s meticulously crafted ceramic pieces, they reflect a yearning for comfort and connection.

If you’re in San Francisco, you can visit Blend In: Standstill until November 4. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

A ceramic sculpture of a figure camouflaged as an owl.
“Sleepless”
A ceramic sculpture of a figure camouflaged as a bird between two plants.
“Standstill”
A ceramic sculpture of a figure camouflaged as a bird surrounded by flies.
“Fresh Start”
Three ceramic sculptures of a figure camouflaged as birds.
Left to right: “Safe Space,” “Wait and See,” and “It’ll Be Alright”
A ceramic sculpture of a figure camouflaged as a bird with a cactus.
“Looking Back”
Three ceramic sculptures of masks, featuring a figure camouflaged as a bird.
Left to right: “Blend In Mask: Eastern Blue Bonnet,” “Blend In Mask: Rufous-Tailed Jacamar,” and “Blend In Mask: Pigeon”
A ceramic sculpture of a figure camouflaged as a peacock.
“For Show”

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