A walk in the woods / A walk in the stars
The forest, the trees, the leaves, the bark, our bodies in the woods— our footprints in the earth; this is not a disembodied space. Neither is outer space. There are celestial bodies. How do we begin to visualize that every atom in our bodies is shared across our known Universe? Technology is a tool and an entry point for us to explore this and our representations of it. This project is a walk on the forest floor that interconnects us all.
Gloria Patria (Omega Helix), 2020, represents one end of an arc that began in 2014 when I first created the Gloria Patria project in direct response to how technology can and must be used responsibly as a powerful means for climate action. Originally, it was quite specifically rooted in my own Canadian identity. The project is now not only an international call but an ontological one: in our current Anthropocene era, what is infinite and what is finite? The double helix of own DNA is considered in my visualization. The materials themselves speak to processes in the history of art that seek to capture and represent these critical existential questions (e.g. gold leaf, lapis lazuli and glitter). As a healing experience, they are call to stick your head into the Universe – the body is a bridge between art, spirituality, ecology, technology and politics; the experience is one of expansiveness across space and time. This is a site of convergence.
Gloria Patria project’s 3D printed forms are generated from sculpted bark and knots sourced from fallen trees in a forest on the Rideau Lake, in Ontario. The scale of the work positions the organic forms in relation to one’s own body and memory, as extensions. “Gloria Patria”, meaning “glory to the homeland”, began in 2014 by unpacking the connection between national identity and natural resources in Canada. I argued that we can be more than an economy of natural resources; one of ideas and innovation, specifically speaking to the implications of 3D printing itself. It is absolutely about the process and meaning of this tool—what does it mean to be able to print your own [fill in the blank]?
The processes oscillate between the direct and indirect. In 2016, I began to create charcoal drawings to accompany the series. I rubbed the drawing material itself into the forms (Burnt Eclipse), engaging in a dialogue between the handmade and technology. Now, more than ever, we use technology to bring people together and are rethinking strategies for displaying and distributing art. How do we illuminate a visceral, physical experience and advocate for democratization of access? These processes are critical to addressing these questions.