Unmediated; Near Shoreline
plaster of paris, animal, mineral, and vegtable.
This work considers our unmediated response and physicality with nature.
As humans we tend to see ourselves as not part of nature we see nature as different and to be used as commodity… yet as humans we are part of nature.
Discovering through research that we spend over 90% of life indoors and the loss/neglect of over 54 natural senses, a growing disconnection in western society which now thrives on capitalist, consumer, commodity, we are increasingly alienated not only from people but nature also.
Through the work I am attempting to alert and encourage the viewer to consider their own standing or /alienation in relation to nature and aim to encourage the viewer to respond in someway to encourage an active connecting in a deeper way with nature which plays a key/fundemental role in our wellbeing.
Research done in recent times by Jain Malkin has shown the “effect of nature on humans …thoroughly studied…shows humans have physiological and emotional responses to nature.”
Contextualising
Polish Installation Artist Frans Krajcberg who having experienced trauma associated with the loss of his family to the Holocaust, eventually leaving europe for Brazil, Krajcberg lived in a cave in the forest for a number of years… recovering from his ordeal his art emerged from the nature around him.”In the aftermath of war he wanted to run away from humankind.”
Krajcberg said “Nature gave me my strength,pleasure of feeling,thinking ,working, and surviving…up to now I have not dominated nature I have learned worked with it.
Krajcberg says “The problems imposed by technological evolution are pollution…Artistic thinking confirms with sorrow that contemporary society is a commercial machine.”
Krajcbergs art and story has greatly influenced and inspired my work he used the natural elements of the forest to get his messages across In similar vein I attempt to use my reponse to elements from the shoreline.
Krajcberg,Brazilian Sculptor /Artfocusmagazine.com by leon Kaplin,1999.
Gwyneth Scally has enabled another perspective she said ” the need to recreate nature is what my art is all about.” Scally believes we have a longing to get back to nature.
Richard Long inspired me to consider the circle in this work he says “circles lines they look good they are abstract and common knowledge, they belong to everyone and equally the past, present, and future” Long also said, ” let earth teach us the renewing powers of nature.”
There are symbolic aspects to this work such as the placing of works on 7 plinths -7 being a number of significance in nature. In a circle which represents wholeness and movement, the circle encourages the viewer to engage physically and walk around the work (Hopfully in a clockwise direction) deliberately constructed plinths at a height of 90cm, where one has to stoop and look at each individual work and consider the gestures of each pair hands which are receptively open. The elements within the hands are animal, mineral and vegtable again highlighting the natural elements found along the shoreline, I hope that the work engages the viewer to consider the natural aspects such as textures, patterns, colour, shape, design.
Thomas Merton succinctly articulates his thoughts about nature.
‘One has to be alone under the sky before everything falls into place and one finds his or her own place in the midst of it all. we have to have the humility to realise ourselves as part of nature.’ Thomas Merton (1915-1968).
SEE FILES FOR UNMEDIATED RESEARCH AND CONTEXTUALIZING.
