cORAL MOON  

A collaboration between tapestry artist Vanessa Barragao and architect Marta Figueiredo, Coral-Moon is an extraordinary composition in textile, stone and brass in homage to the tragic bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral. 

The piece was broken in two shifting half moon forms which allude to the tides and the fragile balance of the coral reef ecosystem. 

The wavy and frothy textures of the green marble reference the ocean, while the delicate tapestry mimics the organic shapes and textures of the dying underwater flora and fauna, such as fringing reefs and barnacles. 

The artist’s tapestry was made using various hand-crafted, fiber art techniques, including latch hooking, crochet, weaving, knitting, basketry and felt. The brass frame for Vanessa’s tapestry was forged by metal artisans in Porto. The marble “Verde” was the final step of the assemblage. 

Coral-Moon is a heartfelt poem from the other side of the world reminding us of this fading beauty...