Black Bower

Background: This artwork connects with other mixed media installation artists who explore environmental themes that could be construed as contemporary still lifes. Some of these Artists include Mark Dion (USA), John Davis (Aust), Anne Wenzel (GDR), Fiona Hall (Aust), Simryn Gill (Aust / Malaysia), Olafur Eliasson (Den). This is the area of research I am examining in my PhD (currently undertaking 5th year of study, part-time), which focuses on issues and concepts surrounding and including 'land & identity', world economics, eclogical concerns regarding exinstintion of flora and fauna due to loss of habitiat. it also looks at mortality, and regeneration and the fragile nature of life, referencing the 17th century still life genre.
Significance: This body of work is significant, as it examines contemporary themes pertinent to the environment and society, and will form a part of a larger body of work through a PhD Exegesis. This exhibition was curated by Dr Irene Barberis and produced for the Global Centre of Drawing which is affiliated with the University of the Arts, London.

This work is an original body of work, and was produced as a site specifc project. To my knowledge nothing has been done like this before. The aim of this Research was to look at ecology in relationship to the Still Life genre of art, and reflect on human beings impact on the environment, and the fragility of life. This work also looked at the relationship between drawing and installation, using some living mixed media media materials to create a microcosm within an indoor gallery space, and the implications of this and processes it presented-drawing, ceramics, collecting objects and materials such as moss and soil, watering and covering on a regular basis. Within the confines of a University Drawing Department, this research aimed to inspire students of fine Art to look at drawing in a unique way.