Eryngium by Ruth Moilliet, Steel, Toughened Glass, and Eryngium Petals, 48 cm square × 16 cm deep

Ruth Moilliet continues to explore the natural world through sculptural preservation in Eryngium. This abstract work features the spiky petals of the eryngium flower, also known as sea holly, carefully arranged in a rounded, radiating shape. She suspends this organic form between two panes of toughened glass, secured within a square steel frame. The result is both architectural and botanical. It merges the clean lines of modern materials with the wild, energetic form of natural flora.

The spiked core of the sculpture reflects the eryngium’s physical traits and its symbolic meanings, resilience, protection, and strength. By sealing the petals in glass, Moilliet honors their beauty but also halts their natural life cycle. The glass doesn’t just preserve, it fossilizes.

The use of steel and glass gives the work a clinical, scientific feel. The petals appear as if they are specimens under observation. Moilliet often draws on this scientific aesthetic, recalling botanical collections and museum displays. Yet she adds a layer of emotion and abstraction. Despite being contained, the petals pulse with a raw, untamed energy.

Eryngium is a reflection on beauty, time, and control. It asks what we lose and what we gain when we try to preserve nature. Does protection diminish life’s essence, or does it honor it? Moilliet leaves the answer open. She creates space for the viewer to question and reflect.

Like much of her work, this piece finds a balance between permanence and impermanence. The sculpture becomes a still moment, a quiet point of reflection on our complex relationship with the natural world.