A sculpture of a tree stump in a forest with a humanoid face and hands.

The Forest High School

Darug Country

“Nature is not cruel, only pitilessly indifferent.” Richard Dawkins

Sculpture

Sprayfoam, ceramic, acrylic paint, cardboard

Chernobyl was made uninhabitable by a human-caused nuclear disaster but has become a sanctuary for diverse species of flora and fauna. In speaking of ‘destroying the planet’ we are actually referring to the destruction of its habitability for humans. In my body of work a tree is represented slowly subsuming a person, bark replacing skin and limbs stretching out with the roots. A thriving forest, vivid green tones throughout and an abandoned nuclear generator convey the concept of an indifferent natural world. Despite destructive human forces, nature continues to reclaim and renew, erasing marks of human folly with relentless resilience.

My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Greg Nicotero, Garret Kane.

ARTEXPRESS is a collaboration between NSW Department of Education and NSW Education Standards Authority.