Fruits de la Forêt

urban scale work: 280cmH x 240cmW

autoroute scale work: 500cm H x 350cmW

The project encourages a reappraisal of humanity’s relationship with the natural world. In my recent work, the forest floor is adopted as a symbol of natural orientation; it is the plane from which all life pushes forward as it begins and to which it returns at its close. Sadly, our technicity has often lead us to view our surroundings only as a resource and has, consequently, concealed from us our forest roots. When we view ourselves against the forest floor backdrop, our vulnerability becomes palpable once more.

The project signposts a new identity for our species within the natural world. Employing familiar visual languages, viewers are invited to behold themselves (and each other) in the forest floor context and to see that, in truth, we are all fruits of the forest.

The work is carried through signs. The main image is of a forest floor streaked by sunlight. The lower portion is perforated with human head openings. The upper image is of blue sky, the crescent of the moon visible top right. The structure and reverse of the work are also sky blue.

I have presented the concept in two scales; that of the urban sign and that of the motorway sign. The use of adjusted standard components permits the realisation of the works from recycled technology.