The Pinguin

The Penguin brings together two objects from remarkably different worlds, transforming an unlikely encounter into a small, poetic narrative.

At its centre stands a modest plastic penguin figurine, discovered at Els Encants, Barcelona's historic flea market. Beneath it, an exquisitely crafted crystal dish, found at Vienna's Naschmarkt, reveals delicate hand-painted floral motifs, intricate cut-glass patterns and a luminous red background.

One object belongs to the world of mass production, the other to a tradition of craftsmanship and decorative refinement. One is ordinary and inexpensive, the other carries the elegance and memory of another time.

Placed together, they create an unexpected dialogue between the everyday and the precious, the playful and the sophisticated, the disposable and the enduring.

The penguin stands alone at the centre of its ornate crystal world, apparently comfortable yet strangely out of place. Its presence introduces a quiet ambiguity: is this a sanctuary, a stage, or an unfamiliar environment in which it has found itself?

As part of the Stories series, the work also opens a reflection on displacement and the vulnerability of animals whose natural habitats are increasingly threatened. Yet its meaning is not confined to an ecological narrative. It also speaks of encounters between cultures, the transformation of forgotten objects, and the unexpected relationships that emerge when different histories meet.

Through its intimate scale, striking contrasts and subtle sense of humour, The Penguin invites the viewer to look beyond the apparent simplicity of its elements.

Two objects, two cities, two worlds. Brought together to tell a story neither could have told alone.