Laura Y’s comment in regards to the recent past – “People had a closer relationship with nature and didn’t have the ability or technology to ignore nature.” relates to the work the curator’s have identified as the natural world motif.

We are going out to seek nature or nature encounters because we do not necessarily come across this in our daily life. The seeking part of our work seems key and perhaps highlights a human longing for the (more) natural world. This longing or need to engage and acknowledge nature leads us to travel outside of our daily life or studio life to gain a different perspective, mindset, and somewhat lose ourselves in the landscape.

More literal examples would include Shana Robbins remote performances, Karen Cleveland travels to the woods, Marisa Dipaola’s stay in the bear cave, and my own stay on Assateague Island.

I, too, have been thinking about the ideas of “real” and “authentic” nature.
Most of the time we think of getting”back”in touch with “real” nature. We say this because we see the past as a time when humans were more in touch with nature. People had a closer relationship with nature and didn’t have the ability or technology to ignore nature. Nature was very “real.” When we think of it this way, we see our path as going backwards to a simpler more basic time.

If on the other hand, we are searching for an “authentic” meaning truthful or honest connection to nature, our path doesn’t lead backward in time. Julia, maybe your route isn’t backwards or forwards. Maybe it is just deeper. It doesn’t seem ironic to use technology to create a sense of clarity and illuminate a hidden “truth”about the world, as you have done so well.

I am fascinated by how often artist use ritual as the route to finding an authentic or meaningful connection to nature. Ritual is the way we use our whole body, not just our mind, to learn, to understand, and to transform.

I admire the great depth of Shana Robbins’ explorations of ritual. Her work excels at using her body as a medium to connect and respond to the natural world..

Jenny Kendler’s work also revolves around knowledge learned through the body. She describes this more eloquently than me when she said, “a drawing comes to me by locating the visceral sense of that experience on my own body” “ Tender and brutal, and often playful, I hope that these images, through intimacy, beauty and visceral transference, will bring to the viewer an awareness of their own body and mind in relation to the rest of the natural world.”

I was inspired by her description of her work. It has helped me to define my own idea of an “authentic” connection with nature. For me, the connection happens I experience a lucid glimpse of my body and mind in relation to the rest of the world and I still retain my sense of mystery about the unknown.

Laura Young