'From Deep Blue to Troubled Green We Pass'
(Rachel Carson)
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This work considers seeds in their symbolic form in a series of drawings which explore our shared common histories. Representing 'an ark for our time', it is part document, part diary, part journal, where archetypal stories from deep history combine ancestral voices with contemporary authors.
Ark: a place offering protection and safety.
Using this definition of an ark, the work brings together fragments of 'conversation' between the generations. Stories of a great flood are universal and are to be found throughout history. As this new millennium unfolds it appears we are facing an emerging flood story as we begin to face real uncertainties of sea level rise and changing climate.
The underlying structure of eighty pages references the Biblical account of rains falling for forty days and forty nights, Pages from Resurgence and Ecologist Magazine are the foundation on which other visual 'conversations' have been drawn. Resurgence Magazine raises awareness of pressing environmental and social concerns as well as holding a beacon of hope that our views and actions can change.
These pages act as 'seeds of thought' - touchstones to inspire us as we face increasing social, economic and biophysical challenges. Each page offers a point of reflection. Covering topics from crop diversity to climate change, they serve to remind us we are part of a wider dynamic life system. Loose leaf pages are held between Lunnaria annua (otherwise known as Honesty seeds). They are a reminder of the hard truths facing us in dealing with these challenges - as well as a symbol of hope and renewal.
The work is contained in a Solander box - a book-form case traditionally used to store manuscripts, prints, and precious books. The dark exterior opens to reveal a rich gold interior where a bright red folder encloses the loose sheets - the use of red cover being a reference to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
I am delighted the work has been included in the Agri-Culture/Seeds Links exhibition in association with the Svalbard Global Seed Bank.
www.seedcultures.com
Svalbard Global Seed Bank
Ark: a place offering protection and safety.
Using this definition of an ark, the work brings together fragments of 'conversation' between the generations. Stories of a great flood are universal and are to be found throughout history. As this new millennium unfolds it appears we are facing an emerging flood story as we begin to face real uncertainties of sea level rise and changing climate.
The underlying structure of eighty pages references the Biblical account of rains falling for forty days and forty nights, Pages from Resurgence and Ecologist Magazine are the foundation on which other visual 'conversations' have been drawn. Resurgence Magazine raises awareness of pressing environmental and social concerns as well as holding a beacon of hope that our views and actions can change.
These pages act as 'seeds of thought' - touchstones to inspire us as we face increasing social, economic and biophysical challenges. Each page offers a point of reflection. Covering topics from crop diversity to climate change, they serve to remind us we are part of a wider dynamic life system. Loose leaf pages are held between Lunnaria annua (otherwise known as Honesty seeds). They are a reminder of the hard truths facing us in dealing with these challenges - as well as a symbol of hope and renewal.
The work is contained in a Solander box - a book-form case traditionally used to store manuscripts, prints, and precious books. The dark exterior opens to reveal a rich gold interior where a bright red folder encloses the loose sheets - the use of red cover being a reference to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
I am delighted the work has been included in the Agri-Culture/Seeds Links exhibition in association with the Svalbard Global Seed Bank.
www.seedcultures.com
Svalbard Global Seed Bank
"The world and I are within one another"
Maurice Merlou-Ponty
