Curators bring a variety of works from Hall and Arcimboldo ranging in paintings, collages, sculptures, etchings and photography to make the scientific connection between botany and humans. From the Roots demonstrates the similar characteristics of plants and humans and shows that without nature the human world would not exist. The works also raise the issue that human’s need to take care of the plant world in order to co-exist and therefore aims to bring awareness to the fact that people should learn to appreciate nature and look after it as it is a part of who we are. Both artists are fascinated with the deep connection between things, Hall explains, “I have a love of botany but I am beginning to think about the way the botanical world is totally inseparable to all living things, even the soil." Although Hall and Arcimboldo use very different mediums, both convey an akin message to the viewer about the relationship between humans and nature and enforce the understanding that the world around us needs to be looked after if we are to co-exist.
FIONA HALL
Fiona Hall works within a scientific context and her art demonstrates the connection between nature and humans. Hall began her career in photography in 1974 and has developed her practise through many different mediums including sculpture using ordinary found items, such as sardine cans, (Paradisus Terrestris, 1989-1990 and 1999), and oil paintings, watercolour and etchings. Through Hall's many explorations with a variety of materials, she always addresses human’s relationship with nature. Hall's works display images of both plants and animals, and through the choice of media, she draws attention to these similarities and the effects that humans have on the planet. Hall’s passion for the flora and botanical systems and ecosystems is expressed through her art and displays a highly scientific view on nature and humans, and illustrates metaphors for different interests and issues. Hall outlines in her art that there are more genetic similarities between humans and botany than there are differences and human's need to coexist with and care for the plant world otherwise human life would be "doomed". Hall’s work uses the analogy of the sexual parts of plants as the sexual parts of humans in her Paradisus Terrestris body of work which acts as a strong representation of this connection between plants and humans.
The exhibition will be presenting Hall's series, Paradisus Terrestris which expresses her continuous fascination with botany and the environment through her choice of subject matter and media. The subject matter consists of different botanical specimens connected with human reproductive systems or a scene of erotic play. The series are made from sardine tins, with the plant specimen sprouting from the top and the tin peeled back to show the naked body parts.
The use of a sardine tin, a man made item, also displays the connection between humans and the natural world. Her earlier Paradisus series are referenced to plants of paradise and relate to the story of the Garden of Eden, displaying innocence tainted with sin and exhibits the connection and similarities between humans and plants that Hall is trying to show the audience. In her 1996 series Hall focuses on the native flora of the Australian landscape which also presents not only the connection between nature and humans, but also the land and those humans who originally owned the land, the Australian Aborigines. Within her choice of subject matter and also the names of the pieces (using the common name, botanical name and the aboriginal name), Hall acknowledges the long history of coexistence between the Australian indigenous and their land and plants. Hall's 3rd Paradisus series, the Sri Lankan
series, uses gold sardine cans for the certain flowers to represent the sacredness and this series refers to the history of both Australia and Sri Lanka and make note to the invasions, acting as a representation of how humans tend to take over what is not theirs, including nature.
GIUSEPPE ARCIMBOLDO
Arcimboldo, an artist from the 1500’s, began his career as a designer of stained glass windows in Duomo and later became the Habsburg Court decorator
and costume designer, however, he is most well known as a portrait artist who painted faces using collages of fruit and vegetables, tree roots and flora. Arcimboldo’s art is inspired by the traditional bacchic masks formed of grapes and vine leaves and demonstrates the same curiosity with nature as Hall and somewhat scientific studies of flora and fauna in those times (1500’s). His surreal paintings examine the combination of the human and the natural world, and like Hall’s works, show the connection that people have with botany. Arcimboldo’s work shows his unique view on nature and demonstrates in an abstract manner of painting that expresses his passion and scientific views of plants, animals and humans that were not often looked at in his time. Arcimboldo has developed this subject matter further to display a series of paintings representing the four seasons and elements.
One of Arcimboldo’s paintings that will be on display is Summer. Summer displays Arcimbold’s personal aesthetic of a portrait painting of a collage face made of plants, fruits and vegetables. The vegetation chosen are the fruits and vegetables of summer and they display the rich, bright colours of oranges and greens to demonstrate the ripeness of the season. Through the use of the vegetation, Arcimboldo has developed the textures and tones of the human face which clearly show the connection between humans and nature. Arcimboldo also uses wheat to make up the coat, which also displays that idea that humans use plants for food as well as clothing. Through this painting, and many others that will be on display in From the Roots, Arcimboldo expresses a unique view on the connection between humans and nature and, like Hall, presents the conclusion that in order to co-exist with nature, humans must take care not to destroy the earth.
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