Exhibition Details
The speed of our lives continues to accelerate, moving us ever further, from the pace and rhythms of the natural world.
We use and dispose of items and plants at whim. As fashions and trends change, so does our interest for these things. Second Glance is a chance to view some of these again, as they are repurposed, contained or documented.
This solo show Second Glance by Elle Anderson comprises two bodies of work Seeing Me Not and Used & Forgotten.
The specimens, that have been the focus of these bodies of work, represent the ignored, the misunderstood, the undervalued, the used and disposed off.
She attempts to slow the viewer down and bring into focus that which is often no longer seen, but which is inherently familiar. While exploring the relationship of plants to people, in particular that tension filled bond we have with the undesirable plants, the all too familiar.
She tries to step beyond long established ideas of natural beauty, cultivated ideals and the traditional ways to display and document the botanical world.
The influences in Elle’s practice range from traditional photographic to the more fact-focused representations of science. These influences continue to be further informed by her own botanical background.
About Elle:
Elle Anderson was born in the Dutch Antilles, on Aruba, where she spent the first 5 years of her life. The next 13 years were spent in Holland, before moving to NZ in 1981.
Her first degree was a Bachelor of Horticultural Science, after which she pursued a landscape design, gardening & lecturing career. Her move into the arts has been recent, culminating with gaining a Masters in Fine Arts (with honours).
Within her arts practice her interest continue to be plants, the environment and our foot print we leave behind.
She continues to blend her landscaping/gardening and art practice, as both inform each other.