Created exclusively for the 2023 Fall Gala for Socrates Sculpture Park.

Neap Tide captures a unique sculptural process achieved by immersing a steel disk into the saltwater of the East River, meticulously observing and documenting its gradual transformation. As it became encased in salt, this sculpture was photographed to symbolize tidal and lunar phases, particularly the half-full appearance associated with neap tides during the first and third quarter moons. This photograph is part of the Salt Moons series, which began during Mattingly’s installation of her exhibition Ebb of a Spring Tide. Commissioned by the Park for its Spring 2023 exhibition, the project drew inspiration from the nearby estuary and employed repurposed materials to construct an immersive sculptural ecosystem, revealing the interconnectedness of time, water, and life cycles.

ARTIST Mary Mattingly

Neap Tide, 2023

From the series Salt Moons, Ebb of a Spring Tide

Dye-sublimation print on aluminum, 12 x 12 inches

Ed. 12, 5 Aps