Designer: Maria Angquist Klyvare
"Grön Najad" is a drinking sculpture erected during the first Porcelain Festival in 2005, with contributions from Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik.
The work consists of 3,860 porcelain tiles in 13 different colours and was designed by Swedish artist Maria Angquist Klyvare. With its modern expression and mythological references, the sculpture represents a green naiad – a freshwater nymph from Greek mythology, known for guarding water sources.
The sculpture is created in a mosaic style, where small digital elements are transformed into large unified compositions. The process is reminiscent of ancient antique mosaics, but employs a modern technique in which pixelated digital photographs are transferred onto porcelain and clay. The image of the Naiad is divided into three stages of a familiar face, and each image reflects different moods – smiles and solemnity – as a reminder of nature's mystique and the unfathomable.