Repositioning: A Natural Art Installation
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire 2014
Reposition: to move something to another place; to change the way people usually think of something.
In this series of works, I repositioned the seed pods from the Royal Poinciana (Flame Tree) that have fallen to the ground. After collecting, I moved, realigned, and regrouped them into forms they did not have before. Where once all the pods were growing from branches, they have become repositioned around their original abode.
(Full artist’s statement below)
As humans we are constantly repositioning ourselves as we adapt to the many roles of life. Whether artist, mother, teacher, wife, daughter, friend, there is a need to reposition ourselves when we change environments, when we go from one country to another, from one school to another, from one community to another.
Nature is also constantly repositioning, often outside our awareness. The seasons create gradual changes that are sometimes overlooked. Natural cycles produce, cast off, and recreate. Waste returns to the earth, blending into perfect harmony.
In this series of works, I repositioned the seed pods from the Royal Poinciana (Flame Tree) that have fallen to the ground. After collecting, I moved, realigned, and regrouped them into forms they did not have before. Where once all the pods were growing from branches, they have become repositioned around their original abode.
I embellished some of the pods by following their basic motifs and natural contours, drawing inspiration from body painting traditions. Kaolin, a natural material used for body paint, was used to bring out the hidden spirit, making contrasting marks of sharp and soft design. Silvery accents were added to other pods to create a juxtaposition between traditional and modern life in Africa.
April 2014, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire