Journey back to nature
This body of work invites you to think about the imbalance between the man-made and the natural in our lives. It asks questions about the role of chemicals and the ‘unnatural’ in our lives, whether they are doing us and the planet good and what the journey to find balance might look like.
Death to the laundry pod
So many chemicals in our lives. What we eat, what we put on our skin, what we wear, what we breathe. Everything comes with health and environmental warnings. Toxicity is everywhere. It’s overwhelming to our senses and triggers allergic reactions. What does a Spring day really smell like?
How is this wrapped up in Capitalism and Consumerism? Laundry wash is no longer enough. Now we all need scent boosters and softeners, so that we can envelope ourselves even further in chemicals.
Journey back to nature, 2026, netting (soaked in laundry pod), aluminium wire, wood, raw wool, feathers, bark, clay, wild flowers and sand
From reflecting on the toxic world we inhabit, the work progressed to a reflection on natural versus man-made, Capitalism and Consumerism. Western society isn’t working. Humans are unhappy. We have lost our balance.
Inspiration came from indigenous cultures and their deep respect of the earth as our home and the provider of life. As somewhere that we should care for and value. From a deep sense of spirituality, a love of nature and a belief that everything is connected.
The work began as a performance; an enactment of the journey.
We need to find our balance with the earth. Reconnect with a more natural way of living and go on a journey to achieve this together as a society.
There is a reflection on our own individuation process and the journey we are all on to develop and learn.
There is a sensory element to the process, of the overwhelming smell of chemicals from laundry pods which piece one has been soaked in, of garish colour juxtaposed with the natural, of resistance and tension and of delicacy and power.
The journey would take us from a chaotic and toxic world, to break through barriers and face nature, turn our backs on western society as it is and embrace a more balanced society.
It’s about the choices we make and the change we have the power to bring about.