Rather than disguise the log’s original form, Moritsugu paints directly on the wood and leaves the existing cracks and holes intact. Her impeccable use of color and attention to detail give the paintings a lifelike appearance and make the painted logs look like windows into different worlds. However, the landscape’s canvas, the cross section of a tree, contrasts with the idyllic celebration of nature to remind the viewer of destruction and industrialization.
Related: Seattle artist creates life-sized sculpture of 140-year-old hemlock tree
“My work reveals how idealized images of the land shape our concept of the natural world – in essence, how our experiences are mediated by the mechanisms of art and culture,” writes Moritsugu. “Today, photoshopped images of verdant forests and unspoiled beaches invite us to vacation and sightsee, providing a false sense of assurance that the wilderness will always exist. By exploring idealized views of nature, my work acknowledges our more complex and precarious relationship with the environment.” She will be displaying her works at New York’s Littlejohn Contemporary from November 12 to December 12, 2015.
+ Alison Moritsugu
Via My Modern Met
Images via Alison Moritsugu
