Lauren Shapiro, visual artist and master ceramicist, is our 51st commissioned artist and the first in our Session Eight membership program.

Shapiro’s artistic practice is rooted in deep research, transforming fragments from our material world—such as details of coral, gemstones, and plant life—into layered narratives that are, on their face, both seductive and alluring. But just as ceramics hold the history of the world, Shapiro aims to tell a fuller, more complicated story than the aesthetic beauty of the object.

Rather, she uplifts the material itself as the storyteller and the archive. Her sculptures, crafted from clay and finished with a kaleidoscope of glazes, reflect the cultural and ecological histories of our surroundings, examining climate, migration, and the fragility of human systems.

Commissioner alumni may recall our last adventure with Shapiro, when she invited into her process and research on coral reefs in Key Largo. We’re looking forward to reconvening—this time on land at the lush Miami Beach Botanical Gardens—for a reveal that promises even more discovery!

This event is for Season Eight members. Kindly arrive early to explore the garden and find your treasure before sundown.