Eleanor Pickin
The Ocean Screen
Waste veneer and offcuts, plywood, fallen and felled oak.
The Ocean Screen is both functional object and storyteller, a vessel for cultural narrative, environmental consciousness and emotional resonance. By day, intricate marquetry recalls the overlooked ocean floor, reminding us of the need to protect fragile ecosystems from deep-sea mining, over farming, and pollution. By night, the reverse shifts into a rotated seascape, suggesting that what is unseen is still vital, and that what we dismiss as “pest” may instead be misunderstood or culturally reframed. Whilst it visually transforms into a darker toned shifting seascape, altering mood and space. Each screen is unique, crafted from industry offcuts and discarded veneers, revaluing materials usually deemed waste. Unlike traditional marquetry, its beauty lies in imperfection, in making visible what we overlook. Modular and adaptable, it invites touch, movement, and conversation. It brings unseen stories into the home while reminding us that ownership can evolve into stewardship of what we cherish.
