Understory

What are we talking about when we talk about nature? As a concept, ‘nature’ refers to a wider sphere of reference than simply the terms ‘landscape’ or ‘environment’. It is both a means through which humanity imagines difference and specificity, and a scientific concept that refers to the structures and processes underlying all biological and technological activity. ‘Nature’, as it is generally used in everyday discussion, is also the nature of immediate experience, an appreciation of landscape or wilderness. But is it a paradox to speak about nature as though it is something separate from ourselves, like a noun, extracted as something fixed and permanent.1 In reality, all things undergo perpetual change and are in a continual process of transformation. This exhibition, and the associated 24 pag publication explores the way artists engage with and negotiate ideas around Nature and Culture in the current climate.