Artistic Ecologies: The Interplay Between Artists and the Environment

Daa Art’s current exhibition examines the dynamic relationship between artists and their surrounding natural and built or fictional environments. By examining the ways in which artists engage with and respond to the environment, the exhibition seeks to shed light on the intricate connections and influences that shape artistic practice.

The surroundings can inspire artists and shape their artistic vision. The serene beauty of nature may inspire landscape painters, the vibrant energy of a bustling metropolis might fuel the creativity of urban artists.

The surroundings that form the artists imagination may not be directly observable in the world around us. It can involve any sort of fictional worlds and characters and stories. For example, literature can offer an invaluable source of subjects, narratives, and emotions that artists can explore and interpret through their chosen medium. By exploring the visual aspects of literature, artists can experiment with colours, textures, composition, and other visual elements.

In this exhibition, Daa Art features four artists each of which approach the surroundings they are exposed to in their unique way. Ana Darab’s creative endeavour exclusively drew upon the nuanced hues prevalent in Tehran's foggy ambiance and its distinctive colour palette, in order to construct an imaginative realm employing the formal and perspectival techniques found in Persian miniature. In her paintings, Ana blurs the boundaries between light and colour and evokes a sense of liminality and the transitional moments that exist between different states or conditions. The interplay of light and shadow and the merging of hues at twilight or dawn in her paintings convey a sense of ethereal beauty, tranquillity, or introspection. These landscapes often ignite a poetic and evocative atmosphere that resonates with the in-betweenness of emotions and sensations.

Maryam Baniasadi, also influenced by Persian miniature, explores the relationship between humans and nature by using elements such as trees and manmade objects for instance red bricks. Her paintings immerse the viewer into the shared experience of being part of the natural world which can create a sense of unity among people. Her artworks show the awe-inspiring beauty of landscapes, the cycle of seasons, and the dependence on natural resources which can transcend cultural and societal differences, fostering a common bond while boundaries, ecosystems, and resources can create divisions among human beings.  

Taylor Bull investigates how complex entanglements between figure and landscape can create an ecosystem of  non-hierarchical associations. Taylor’s artworks show us when figures and landscapes intertwine, it can result in a dynamic and interconnected relationship that challenges traditional hierarchies and fosters a sense of unity and interdependence.

Jeroen van Dooren studies the contemporary notions of subjectivity, performativity, and the role of the contemporary artist by inventing fictional artists. Jeroen expresses his unique subjectivity through his artworks, employing strategies to challenge conventions and create immersive experiences.