“Pachira,” 59 x 59 inches. All images © Catherine Nelson, shared with permission
A decade ago, compiled hundreds of photographs of barren, snow-covered landscapes and autumnal forests for her project . The Australian artist, who lives and works between Ghent and Amsterdam, recently revisited that series to create a new body of work with similar world-building techniques. “With the tumultuous events of 2020 still unfolding and the undeniable links to the destruction of the natural world by mankind, it felt timely to return to the themes from that series, which talk about our planet and the importance of protecting what we have,” she says.
Composed of photographs captured during three years and across four continents, spans “from the lush, tropical flora of Costa Rica and Far North Queensland and the fertile, volcanic mountains of the Azores, to the rolling hills of the Greenland tundra,” Nelson writes. Many of the orb-like digital assemblages feature thick brush and foliage around the outside, while the less-populated centers appear to bulge out. The organic spheres hover effortlessly against a cloudy backdrop, highlighting the rich colors and incredible diversity of every environment. Each piece serves as a reminder that “it is in the flourishing variety of the local that the fate of the world resides,” the artist says.
Nelson’s work is on view through September 22 at in Sydney and will head to in Melbourne early next year. Those unable to experience the complexly assembled worlds in person can see more on .
“Cubali,” 59 x 59 inches
“Sarapiqui,” 59 x 59 inches
“Terra Nostra,” 59 x 59 inches
“Tortuguero,” 59 x 59 inches
“Tropic,” 59 x 59 inches
“Tundra,” 59 x 59 inches
“Cartago,” 59 x 59 inches
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