1:1 with Monique J

During my session with Monique we discussed my two most recent works - the garden cyanotypes and the wave tracings - and the driving aims behind them and what direction would be best to move forward in. While there are many intriguing notions that I could explore if I followed the drawing route, I feel much more inclined towards the cyanotype artworks; there is something about the alchemical nature of them that I am drawn to, and the nebulous, immersive qualities that they imply.

We also discussed the particular environments I am drawn to make art about and why. This has always been more of an intuitive thing; a subconscious interest in places where ecologies interact and biodiversity is rich, notably in sites where human presence does not at first appear to be the dominating entity. However, after reading T.J. Demos' 'Decolonising Nature' and Timothy Mortons 'Ecology Without Nature', I am also beginning to take notice of environments where the human and the non-human meet, and I wonder if/how this will manifest within my work.

Key terms from our discussion: points of exchange, porous boundaries, rich sites of intertwining and interacting biodiversity, what environments am I drawn to?

Things to look at: Our sea of Islands essay, John Veer, Ariel Walker, Kate van der Drift