My final work explores the notion of Rhizome, highlighting the metaphysical workings of humans and their environment. Whether conscious of it or not, everything is connected and has potential impact on each other. This network can be both fragile and strong and in most cases forever changing. I investigated this notion as a response to the research prompt:
“Art and design often explore relationships between humans and non-humans, the environment and ecology. How can contemporary art and design propose new possibilities for imagining the ‘human’ and the environment?”
I have created 3 textile pieces as part of this work. They are each a different appropriation of the rhizome structure, inspired by how other artists have visualised it. The rhizome structure is quite ambiguous, unlike a hierarchical structure that can be represented by a tree formation; a rhizome does not have a definitive aesthetic. I want to highlight this in my work, by stitching three different forms to make the base of the textile pieces. The first network is inspired by William Rose’s artwork ‘Construction’ (1956), which is reminiscent of an urban location. I liked how this artwork hinted at the underlying connections and relationships in a metropolitan setting and today, this backdrop is where majority of the population lives and works.
The second network is inspired by, Paul Michael Graves ‘Rhizome’ series, particularly ‘Rhizome 8’ (2016). This piece highlighted both the fragile and strong connections that the rhizome structure can have. The organic lines creatively depict the invisibility of these connections. The composition of this artwork also displays the a-centred nature of a rhizome structure.
The final rhizome structure was influenced by an oil panting that I found called ‘Silence 2’ (2018) by Lyudmila Davydenko. This painting reminded me of natural root systems, from which the concept of rhizome originated. I liked how organic and complex the lines in this piece looked, and also how linear they appeared, however on closer inspection it can be seen that all of the lines are connected in some way. My third stitching shapes were done free hand, creating a natural root-like system.
I also incorporated the media into my artwork, as it is part of our everyday lives and connects us all together. I made paper beads out of newspaper text as a comment on how this form of media is being overrun with user-generated content. The rhizome structure has been recently explored in the art world and many of the interpretations hint at the internet and mass media. For example, ‘The revolving internet’ (2011), this artwork attempted to change the way that we interact with the internet and becoming disorientating.
Red is the colour of extremes, for example passionate love, anger, violence, hell and sex. These things form the major cornerstones of human nature and are the basis for relational connections to form. I have used red thread in the base layout of a rhizome structure, free forming the primary shapes.
I used natural cotton threads over the top of the red stitching to symbolise the hidden connections and also to hint at an environmental association. I like how unexpected the flow of the threads was when I stitched them on. They lay on the piece both independently and in conjunction with other threads to form an organic structure.
The three textile pieces that I have created have been a divergence from the notion of networks that I explored in my first assessment. They interpret the connection of humans and their environment in an abstract manner.
Artgallery.nsw.gov.au. (2018). Construction, (1956) by William Rose :: The Collection :: Art Gallery NSW. [online] Available at: https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/9665/ [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
Ensemble.va.com.au. (2018). Deleuze and Guattari - The Concept of the Rhizome. [online] Available at: http://ensemble.va.com.au/enslogic/text/smn_lct08.htm [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
Faynoart.com. (2018). Artist Lyudmila Davydenko. [online] Available at: http://faynoart.com/Silence_2_painting-2 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
PAUL MICHAEL GRAVES. (2018). rhizome. [online] Available at: http://www.paulmichaelgraves.com/humannature/y6gx0cme2vbn3fzmjo6ishgt9tia51 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
Rhizome. (2018). Rhizome. [online] Available at: http://rhizome.org [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
Saatchi Art. (2018). Saatchi Art: Rhizome 5 Painting by Paul Michael Graves. [online] Available at: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Rhizome-5/1051698/4007629/view [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
TextileArtist.org. (2018). Pamela Campagna: From conception to creation - TextileArtist.org. [online] Available at: https://www.textileartist.org/pamela-campagna-from-conception-to-creation [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].
