Opulent Current

This shell-encrusted, gilded Koi fish glides between the realms of ocean and ornament, transforming a symbol of perseverance into a luminous relic of tide and time. Its body, meticulously layered with hand-selected shells, carries the memory of distant shores—each fragment shaped by currents, erosion, and chance. The natural textures of the Pen and Moon shells contrast with the radiant sweep of gold leaf that traces the koi’s form, catching light like sunlight rippling across water.

Long revered in Eastern traditions as an emblem of resilience, prosperity, and transformation, the Koi becomes here both creature and treasure. The gilded surface elevates it beyond the ordinary, suggesting sacred iconography or ceremonial armor, while the shells tether it to the earth’s raw beauty. Together, these materials create a dialogue between fragility and endurance, opulence and nature.

Suspended in perpetual motion, the koi appears to swim through air itself—its shimmering scales reflecting the viewer, inviting quiet contemplation on growth, fortune, and the currents that carry us forward.