Plants are vital for life
2023
Installation, ink and watercolour on mulberry paper, hand cut
300 x 300 x 8cm
100 x 100 cm each, 9 units, 3 layers

‘Plants are vital for life’ depicts nine gigantic fairy-like Australian native plants in flower. As my ongoing exploration of nature and human relationships, I researched and conversed with scientists enquiring about this phenomenon. What does it mean to us? In my view, artists and scientists have the power to create new ways to help society to understand what’s happening. 

Since the 2019-20 devastating bushfire, some endangered native species took 2-years to regerminate, grow, flower, produce seeds, and return to the soil bank. I was inspired by the iconic and special Australian native plants that survived the bushfire. I carved the seed pods and flowers, such as Banksia, native orchids, rock orchids, Mountain Devil, trigger plants, and Waratah. Eucalyptus and wattles have numerous adaptation strategies to cope with fire. Pink flannel responded to the fire and flowered. 

In this work, the solid shapes symbolise the species burnt by the fires; the cutout shapes burst to life in their absence. 

According to scientist Brett Summerell about the fundamental component of the plant., ’plants are the basis for all our food; all our oxygen. They purify our water. Without plants, we cannot exist on this planet, nor can the other forms of life.’ 

Quoting Dr Summerell, ‘Plants are vital for life’ manifests the urgency to ensure the survival of our planet. While the installation reveals Mother Nature’s forgiveness, beauty, and regenerative powers. I drew a skull scattered across the grid to symbolise death as a sense of warning. I stitched together cutout pieces to form the word FOOD by provoking hope and fear. The add-on shows the effort hoping our children and children’s children will have enough food for them. Simultaneously, transforming the scientists prediction – if we don’t stop land clearing, we won’t have enough food soon – the word FOOD reveals the fear because the patched up scraps by force won’t last forever. 

It is a huge challenge when the speed of climate change is utterly rapid. ‘Plants are vital for life’ exposes the coexistence of human being and nature, one cannot survive without the other. It raises questions: How do we protect the plants? How do we protect ourselves?

Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award 2023
16 September – 12 November 2023