7/4/08

Nature & Contemporary Art



I spent part of this July 4th exploring the Sloan Gorge which is part of the Woodstock Land Conservancy. Most of this gorge was formed by the rushing waters from the melted ice caps during the Ice Age. It is a beautiful trail and we got to see loads of fungus...at least 6 different varieties (one of them is pictured above). Since we went right after the morning rain we also got to see lots of bright orange nutes and frogs which were all very cute.

This hike (among a few others I have taken recently) have forced me to think about nature's representation in modern art. Over the years I have been drawn to work about the complexities of society, politics, history and culture though I have never felt overly interested in the art being made about nature (despite all the "politics" surrounding it). I have always felt that it is too romantic and does not reflect the way I see the natural world (which is a little dark- being that it is so huge and unfamiliar). So I am on a mission to learn about contemporary artists who deals with issues of nature and all its complexities. Help me out people- who do you look at that relates to this?

1 comment:

LKB said...

We just went to MassMoca to see this show, http://www.massmoca.org/event_details.php?id=369

Highlights are Bob Adams and Vaughn Bell's mini hanging terrariums (you can put your head in them)
http://www.vaughnbell.net/biospherefortwo/index.html

I also like Jem Southam,
http://www.bostonphotographyfocus.org/2008/03/18/staring-indeed-jem-southam-show-opens-at-the-davis/