MORI
“The most mighty of natures laws is this that out of death she brings life.”
– HERMAN MELVILLE
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Mori (Slaughter), W.I.P
Sculpture
“The most mighty of natures laws is this that out of death she brings life.”
– HERMAN MELVILLE
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Mori (Sacrifice), W.I.P
Sculpture
“The most mighty of natures laws is this that out of death she brings life.”
– HERMAN MELVILLE
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Mori (Stillborn), W.I.P
Sculpture
“The most mighty of natures laws is this that out of death she brings life.”
– HERMAN MELVILLE
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Division, 2023
80 x 105 cm, Mixed Media
Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life, performing essential processes such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction. They are the building blocks of all living organisms, and all life on Earth shares a degree of similarity on the cellular level. The closer and closer we look at things, the less independent everything starts to appear.
All cells consist of a membrane, genetic material, and various organelles responsible for specific functions. These common features indicate a shared blueprint between different kinds of plants and animals.
DNA, the molecule that stores genetic information, follows the same code across all organisms. This, again, signifies a shared foundation across all contrasting species. Human beings share 50% of our DNA with trees; in fact, all life on Earth originated from a common ancestor, believed to have lived billions of years ago.
The shared characteristics and contingent processes involved within organisms highlight the interconnectedness and unity that underlies the complexity and diversity of life on our planet. Although things appear disparate, we truly are all part of the same thing. There is little more that appears to separate us than a ‘membrane’.
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“Whereas division implies separation, diversity implies variety within a whole.”
– JOHN TIERNEY JR.
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Communion, 2023
80 x 105 cm, Mixed Media
Besides the social and ethnographic connotations of communion, which can often become dogmatic (and in worst cases oppressive), the existence of mycorrhizal networks can be thought to represent a kind of natural communion.
This mutually beneficial association between fungi and plant roots allows different species of plants to share vital nutrients and water with one another. They also share information about potential danger and environmental changes. (They even prioritise sharing with their own kin, just like humans!)
This symbiosis and mutual support across the plant kingdom reminds us of the importance of interdependence and cooperation within ecosystems. The fact that all plant life is joined together in some way, exchanging between one another, embodies the truest meaning of the term communion.
An awareness of this can foster a natural idea of our place within the cosmos, and can aid us in accepting all polarities found amongst ourselves. This can encourage a feeling that we are truly part of the whole; the purest intention of any spiritual practice.
By holding nature as sacred over dogmatic societal structures, everyone and everything becomes an interwoven and vital aspect of existence. This helps to shift our view of our own nature from the anthropocentrically bias, to a more naturalistic perspective.
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“Too often we hold fast to the clichés of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
– JOHN F. KENNEDY
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Antagony, 2023
80 x 105 cm, Mixed Media
If we interpret “antagony” as a portmanteau of “antagonist” and “agony,” it suggests a state of extreme conflict or struggle that causes great anguish or suffering; it can be thought to describe a situation in which forces are locked in intense opposition.
We have separated ourselves from nature and it has become the antagonist to modern human society…and not without dire consequences! Obliterated and unsustained, we abuse thing that supports and allows our very existence. The term antagony has, therefore, been created to to highlight the conflict between human beings and their collective disregard for nature; a fact which is highlighted through our cultural disdain for ‘dirt’.
The hummus layer, which is figuratively depicted in this work is the result matter breaking down. It is full of death, and the subsequent decay that follows, and so it is comprehendible why we can feel inclined to reject this vital component of the natural environment. Unlike blooming flowers and butterflies which represent the peak of vitality in nature, the mud is dark, hidden, and reminds us of the end of things.
It is, however, important to recognise that soil plays a vital role in supporting life on Earth. Bacteria, and other microorganisms, although usually unwelcome, are also a fundamental aspect of our overall health.
This all acts as a powerful metaphor for how it is only through the darkness that we come to understand the light.
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“Everybody knows shit is a really good fertiliser”
– AJAHN BRAHM
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Solastalgia, 2023
80 x 105 cm, Mixed Media
Solastalgia is a term coined by Australian environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht, combining the words solace and nostalgia. It refers to a form of existential distress and psychological unease that is induced by negative environmental changes.
Unlike traditional nostalgia, which is triggered by longing for a past place or time, solastalgia describes the distress experienced when the environment that one knows and loves is altered, damaged, or destroyed, and is unlikely to be regained.
While the concept of the tree of life generally symbolises growth, vitality, interconnectedness, and the cycle of life, there isn’t a widely recognised and specific concept of a “tree of death.”
The “tree of death”, imagined here, might symbolise the inevitable passage of time, the fragility of life, or the impermanence of all living things. It could be associated with themes of grief, loss, and the awareness of our own mortality. The tree is depicted with withering , bear branches, fallen leaves, and a sense of foreboding, conveying a stark contrast to the lush and vibrant imagery typically associated with its counterpart, the tree of life.
The words to the right read: ‘They re-marketed our sexuality as sin, destroyed sacred places and replaced them with skyscrapers” nodding to the idea that human greed & patriarchal control have contributed to the destruction of the natural world.
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“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell”
– CARL JUNG
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Momento (Maranasati), 2023
Maranasati, which translates to “mindfulness of death” or “contemplation of death,” is a Buddhist meditation practice that encourages individuals to reflect on impermanence and inevitability.
The large size of the tapestry intends to bombard us with a reminder of our own mortality, urging viewers to face discomfort and contemplate the fleeting nature of their existence. Through the seemingly sober and melancholic message, onlookers and invited to face fear and avoidance, inviting gratitude, spiritual growth, acceptance, and transformation.
As we contemplate death, we are immediately confronted with existential questions and the nature of the self. By facing this universal truth we accept and understand that all conditioned phenomena are subject to constant change and eventual cessation.
This, in turn, allows us to truly embrace the present moment and make the most of our lives. By realising control and embracing the unpredictability of our existence we are able to adopt a more aware mode of being.
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“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
– MARCUS AURELIUS
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Slugly 8
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