MAGNIFICATION
THOUSANDS OF YEARS, BIOMIMICRY AND THE STATE OF CHANGE
By Nidia Hansen
Perth, August 2021
Art, science and nature have been intertwined in human history since old ages. Imitating nature whilst adapting its functions and systems has been the way to help ourselves, evolving and improve our lives in countless aspects. Nature in its evolution create stages of change, same it has been for human progression, where the inner and external transformations are influenced by their close environment and by distant cosmic effects.
The origin of similarities between art, science and the nature’s systems, are found in the need of adaptation through periods of resilience and survival modes. These are precedents in a course of actions to reach balance, flow, harmony and self-expression, but mostly, to hold enough capacity to set a stage of synchronicity within the self and the environment.
The nature at Wireless Hill, Yagan’s Mia Lookup, has inspired me to create artworks that reflects the significance of its biodiversity, as well as to examine through nature, these relevant times in a worldwide pandemic. A pandemic that is a stage of change, in an evident and temporary chaos, a catalytic moment in human history that has many similarities with metamorphic stages that also occurs in nature.
Inspired by Wireless Hill, the artworks that I present with this exhibition, are the result of more than two years of research, observations, photography, comparative examination, the creative process and a meditative contemplation of the intersections between art, biomimicry, science and nature. Along with this, the perils and art journey through a pandemic and the inconveniences of an extra-large studio area.
The research allowed me to find that Wireless Hill has been for thousands of years and important place for Wadjuk Noogar Beeliar people, who used the plants of the site for food and medicinal purposes. Many of the site species are part of the South West, a world biodiversity hotspot. I learned about the site colors, the patterns, its soil and the eternal night sky canopy; and how all of them are intertwined.
The thousands of years of making by nature of this site with significant biodiversity, and cultural importance, came nearly to an end during the clearing of the site for war telecommunication purposes, and the more than 50 years of annual recurring burnings. With the considerate care of local authorities and people, the nature once again, took support from its micro structures, the systems, and the inner strength, to transform a stage of threat into a rebirth, as testimony for positive change from survival.
Beyond the beauty from flowers and other species, I felt intrigue on how I could interpret through the taxonomy of biomimicry and magnification, artworks that could illustrate a moment in time, the universal scale of nature, it’s cycles, the unnoticeable and the resilience; as well, to observe and accept the simple shapes that many times, are overlook by the evident beauty of flowers.
The diverse of artworks that I present, came from asking to nature and interpreting its way. I hope the viewers can feel the joy, the immense generosity from nature that I felt during this time, and feel inspire to look nature with new eyes while being part of this second human renaissance. Humans we are just one more specie more, but the only one that can lead to a catastrophe or a remarkable step.
