Untitled 

Here we see an untitled ceramic piece by Christian Royal, born in 1993. Royal belongs to a generation whose formative years were deeply interwoven with rapidly evolving digital culture. This decorative plate, with its delicate leaf imprint, speaks to a tension between the digital and the natural. Royal's artwork reflects the complexities of identity in an age of virtual existence, as many, especially marginalized communities, find ways to cultivate identity through online networks. But what does it mean to return to an older, craft based aesthetic? There's an intimacy here, in the way this plate invites touch and use. Consider Royal's choice of material. Ceramics root us in the physicality of the earth. In a world increasingly mediated by screens, this artwork is a grounding force. The leaf motif further emphasizes a connection to the organic. The artist seems to be asking what it means to be rooted, to be authentic, in an era of constant technological advancement.