f i e l d b r a i d
As humans we can express care towards ourselves and towards others though self-care and nurture. We care for our physical bodies, tending to them in ways which are visible to others. Considering the act of braiding hair, an act which is seemingly unnecessary, a vanity even, but when we carry out these acts they stem from a sense of connection and care towards the recipient. I wanted to extend this act of care to the land, by braiding it's 'hair', in a field of long grass. People who lived traditional arable lifestyles had a daily connection and physical relationship with their natural environment, but our modern urban lifestyles have eroded this attachment. By braiding a field of grass, I have reconnected with this sentiment and it is expressed visually for all who might encounter it.
By considering a field that has had it's grass combed and braided, we can reconsider our relationship with the natural environment, as one of a mutual caring. We are not unaware of the damage that human civilisations are doing to the environment, but we can change our relationship to it through our own personal and individual expressions of care, towards ourselves, each other and our environment.
By considering a field that has had it's grass combed and braided, we can reconsider our relationship with the natural environment, as one of a mutual caring. We are not unaware of the damage that human civilisations are doing to the environment, but we can change our relationship to it through our own personal and individual expressions of care, towards ourselves, each other and our environment.
Images taken during Rhod Art Camp 2017, Drefelin, Carmenrthenshire, Wales,
