Heart of Ecology
Every day we produce tons of wastes. Did you know that the ratio of plastic to plankton in the oceans is equal to 6:1? The statistics are stunning, but we don’t even realize that. That’s why I would like to tell you about a woman who takes a special place in my heart. I had a pleasure to interview one of the most insparing artist that I have met. Aurora Robson was born in 1972 in Toronto, Canada. Her adventure with art began in early childhood, when increadible nightmares hunted her. Inspired byendless, mysterious nightmares, she decided to transfer it into paintings.
However, daily watched as tons of plastic products destroy the ecosystem, she realized that dreams of her early childchood are actually similar with the structure as plastic bottles. That was the beggining of the biggest adventure in her life. Enjoy!
However, daily watched as tons of plastic products destroy the ecosystem, she realized that dreams of her early childchood are actually similar with the structure as plastic bottles. That was the beggining of the biggest adventure in her life. Enjoy!
Initially, your paintings were inspired by nightmares. Does your current work still based on these nightmares? Where else can you find inspiration for your marvelous artworks?
Auroa Robson: My work is still formally and structurally based on these nightmares I had when I was a kid, but because of the nebulous quality of these nightmares, I have been able to extrapolate on them and find other formal associations to reference in nature. They are visually related to forms I’ve observed in natural phenomena ranging in scale from astronomical to microscopic. Since these nightmares happened such a long time ago now, I am working from memory, but also in the present, combining this nightmare structures with present day observations of mine ranging from the cellular structures of plants and other organisms to weather systems and astronomical phenomena.
Does your philosophy is to create art for art's sake , that is form itself or you can also create sculptures for utility functions such as lighting?
I create art for society’s sake. I think that art is essential to humanity and to cultural evolution. I aspire to make work that is relevant to as many people as possible, and on as many levels as possible. Occasionally, I incorporate solar powered lights or motors in my suspended pieces but because they are solar powered, it makes them somewhat unpredictable as functional lighting. I don’t market them as “chandeliers” or “lights” because I wouldn’t want to disappoint someone looking for a light as opposed to a piece of art that lights up at night, if it has been sunny enough for the battery to charge. Your domain is ecological art, showing beautiful side of items that ordinary people just throw away. Does ecology is also close to you in your daily life? Do you have any other ideas for a second life of our household rubbish?I don’t believe in waste. I think that what we have been calling waste is really displaced abundance. I think that the artists and designers and architects of the future will increasingly use displaced abundance as raw material. I believe this not only because it is relatively uncharted territory (where artists typically migrate to) but also because it is much more challenging than simply buying materials at an art supply store or something. Artists typically like to have their creative problem solving skills challenged.
Do you think that any of us can make art from our wastes? What we should to know about the technology of your sculptures, if we would love to try make something for ourselves?
There is vast potential hiding beneath every surface and in every human. Researching your “waste” materials before you start experimenting with them is wise. A lot of people think melting plastic is a good idea, but it actually often releases toxins into the atmosphere and can be quite dangerous. In terms of working with waste materials, the first thing I recommend people do is clean their material very meticulously and carefully using environmentally friendly products. Citrasolv is great for removing labels and adhesives for example. It is orange oil based and works better than any other solvent I’ve tried. The cleaning process will often give you insight into the physical properties of a given material and give you the opportunity to become intimate enough with it that you can start to see its hidden potential.
Many of young artists trying to break world's boundaries with their ideas . You made it already. Have you any advice for them? Your works are inspires of many people.
I advise young artists to develop a practice that they enjoy and then practice enjoying it in as many ways as possible. Showing up for work, every day in your studio. Treat it like a very special job. It is hard because there are no guidelines, but as long as your conscience is truly clear and you are honestly experiencing joy, reverence and gratitude in your work, others will eventually respond in kind. Your work will resonate. Everything is contagious, but you must consider every single decision you make in your work. It must all be completely intentional - even when it is a mistake. Mistakes are part of the process - to be revered and accepted. I embrace aberrations. I try to continually stretch and explore and am constantly trying to take gentle steps in a direction that nobody else has gone.
You are a woman of ideas, fighting for nature, for the unity of souls and hearts. Does in your opinion the humanity is able to find a way to create healthier world?
We can cleanse the world. It is just a matter of getting into the habit of spring cleaning and re-evaluating our relationships and clarifying our perception. We must start to remember that all matter matters. I think that humans have somehow forgotten how to appreciate our existence to a degree that it will be our own demise unless we open our eyes a bit wider. Our existence on earth is tenuous and we are only here because of a delicate balance. We need to honor it and protect this incredible planet that has been so kind as to be habitable to us. The impulse to make art is exactly the opposite of the impulse to throw something away, that is why artists are perfectly suited to helping adjust our value system so that we can start to be more caring and conscientious to ourselves, our planet and one another.
You are working mostly with plastic. Did you ever try to experiment with other materials ?
Plastics are wreaking havoc on the environment which is partially why I have been drawn to them. They are lightweight and ubiquitous. Humans trust this material implicitly even though plastics are polluting our oceans and our own bodies. Plastics are manufactured with toxic additives -- some of which are
I have also worked extensively with excess packaging and junk mail. I like to work with the packages and vehicles that deliver things we desire to us so we can all remember that it isn’t just the letter but the envelope that is a gift. Up til now, I have predominantly worked with municipal waste - personal debris, which makes up about 3% of waste globally. However, starting this spring I will be working more with industrial waste on a more expansive scale. My work will start moving more into the outdoors.
Does your work influence on people to begin thinking more seriously about different, eco-friendly lifestyle?
I hope that people who learn about my work will try to make smaller footprints on this planet and be kinder gentler to each other and themselves. We are all artists in the creation of our existence. We craft our experiences daily. Our little decisions all have massive impacts for ourselves and future generations.
Are you currently working on something extraordinary? Would you like to share this idea with us?
I am working on developing an international network of artists, designers and architects who are intercepting the plastic waste stream (see www.projectvortex.org) so that our voices can be amplified and we can hopefully make more of a difference by consolidating some of our efforts. I am also developing a college level sculpture course that if widely implemented in colleges around the planet, could substantially restrict the flow of plastic debris to our oceans and teach future generations how to work in an innovative and serious way with all waste materials, not just plastic. It is called Sculpture + Intercepting the Waste Stream. Other than that, I am just working, which I love. When I die, I’ll rest.
Learn more: http://www.aurorarobson.com/
Photographs: Marshall Coles
