When an heirloom plate crashed to the floor, rather than trying to glue the pieces back together, Robert Strati had a more creative idea to preserve the spirit of the object. He arranged the shards on a two-dimensional surface, mimicking the way the pieces scattered when the plate fell, and began to render intricate ink drawings that extended from the original design. The chance occurrence spurred an ongoing series called Fragmented, which explores “the possibilities of things broken and the stories that can evolve from them,” he says.
Utilizing ink that matches the original, monochrome colors of antique plates, Strati continues lines and patterns into dreamlike scenarios. Brimming with figures, ships, and animals, bucolic landscapes expand into vast vistas and surreal scenes sprout from decorative edges.
See more of Strati’s work on his website and Instagram. (via Kottke)
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