The Visible Nature (The Invisible God) (2020)

Watercolour & Pen – 500 x 700mm

‘Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that this Nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshiping.’ – Hubert Reeves

I have been building a piece around this quote for over a year now, as for me it is very relevant to the current situation in the world right now. Where once nature was central to religion (and peoples’ lives generally), we now pray to invisible human god(s) and ignore our effect on the real god that we are all apart of: nature.

I really wanted to reflect what I see as the current view of natural world. Humans have increasingly taken steps to seperate ourselves from our environment, and of our responsibility towards it. So much so that we can no longer see the direct effects that our actions have on the world. Even taken as a large group, the effects are difficult to truly comprehend and even more difficult to take responsibility for. However, the signs of decay are everywhere.

At first glance, it is intended to appear as a pleasant, relaxed scene, the personification of Gaia surrounded by animals and blooming plants. However upon closer inspection, the signs that something is not entirely all right begin to show through. From the deadly plants, to the injured animals and felled/marked trees, this piece is about the effects of humans’ relationship with the earth and the rose-tinted lenses through which it is viewed.