Degree Show Work

Exhibition Statement 

Heart of the Forests and Wetland

You have reached the heart of the forest and the wetland. What is your relationship between art, nature and your role within our ecosystem?

My relationship manifests through a collection of oil paintings and a clay sculpture crafted from and on reclaimed wood.

A functioning collection of distorted landscapes offers a hyperreality simulation capturing fractures of a landscape that become one through oil paint and a fractured tree that becomes one through an exhibition space.

Can you visualise the eerie frozen Bald Cypress, feel the thick humidity engulfing you, hear the swamp breath held in stillness, and sense the unsettling presence of an alligator gliding silently towards you? Let the sensations of the environment take over you as the metaphorical pollen clings to your consciousness.

Trees shape our landscapes and silently witness our history and the natural world. The visual evidence of twisted branches marked by the wind's force tells tales of strength and creates a masterpiece sculpted by nature. I encourage you to see the critical perspective of the environmental impact of these quiet, majestic beings through a manufactured lens.

My sculpture, 'My Witness,' crafted from clay and the remains of former trees, illustrates the affinity of life and decay. It symbolises the rebirth of our past. Each gap in my sculpture signifies a story of life. Please peek into the negative space; the fissures are the gateways to alternative domains, which connect us to our lands and the environment.

My work represents the environment's unconditional beauty and shows how even decay has meaning. This aligns with how environmental art seeks to highlight our responsibility in the ecosystems we inhabit. Through my lens, I want you to remember the importance of trees.

They are the life force that sculpts our environment, offering shelter to thousands of creatures, producing oxygen to sustain us and absorbing carbon dioxide to balance our atmosphere. They hold back soil erosion and cradle rainfall. They symbolise growth and resilience and are the pulse of the ecosystem.

The inspiration behind 'Heart of the Forest and Wetland' stems from Ecological Art, a movement of artwork that aims to challenge social norms and advocates for environmental awareness and action, including ecological prevention. Ecological art serves as a political agency to help us better understand our relationship with nature. Through my work, I strive to deepen my connection to nature by adventuring into the heart of the forests and wetlands. Will you join me?