ANCIENT FOREST

‘ANCIENT FOREST’ – Tracey Deep

13 – 30 August 2020

EXHIBITION VIDEO WALKTHROUGH: Watch on IGTV

Saint Cloche proudly presents Tracey Deep’s Ancient Forest – a grand exhibition transforming the gallery space from top to bottom into one of Tracey’s ethereal wonderlands.

The environment continues to be a deep source of inspiration for Tracey. The embodiment of Mother Nature herself, Tracey’s work is earthy and enchanting, her creations crafted from leaves, branches, seed pods – anything that is cognizant of the landscape and the natural world. She rearranges natural forms and recycled, distressed materials to enhance their natural beauty, most often in large scale. Tracey has the ability to transform the everyday into visual poetry that pays homage to the circle of life, the ever-changing world and always with the utmost respect for Nature.

Tracey’s work draws attention to nature’s awe-inspiring magnificence yet also its fragility – shining a light on the urgent need for all of us to understand that the earth needs us to be far better stewards of her wellbeing than we have in the past. As last Summer’s catastrophic bushfires showed us – there’s no time to waste!

“In this exhibition Tracey seeks to create a sense of the wonderment inspired by ancient forests and how quickly fire can destroy what has naturally evolved over millennia. Tracey’s ethereal installations reflect the beauty of nature. Tracey’s practice stems from her experience as a floral sculptor. Her love of organic materials perfectly plays with the weave in the natural world, everything from spider webs, to birds’ nests and interwoven forest canopies. They are so delicate allowing the eye and the air to move through them yet at the same time speak to the practical purpose that underpins natural phenomena.

Weaving plant materials or inflorescent matter is an ancient practice. Here in Australia, and in many other countries across the globe, First Nations people have used what nature grows to weave functional and ceremonial works, for day to day use for sleeping on, gathering food, carrying babies and for use in special cultural events as costume, adornment or furniture. More recently Indigenous Australians have used their ancient weaving practices to tell stories about culture, for example Tjanpi Desert Weavers weave sculptural animals and people in community.
 
Tracey Deep is a contemporary artist who takes her skill with plant and other natural materials and combines that with her rich thinking about the natural world to create these sculptural installations that are beautiful to look at, capture some of the awe that nature inspires and helps us to think about what a world would be like without a layered and interdependent ecology.”

– Lisa Cahill, CEO and Artistic Director, Australian Design Centre, June 2020

Tracey Deep is a leading artist in her field and a national treasure.  A pioneer in the development of botanical artistry in Australia, she is much loved and hugely revered for her humble authenticity and devotion to nature. Tracey is a creative adventurer, a biology enthusiast, and magical botanical sculptor.  Celebrated for her sustainable sculptures and installations using organic and industrial recycled materials for over two decades – her creations are as distinctive as a thumbprint, and her signature artworks can be found in private and public collections.

Tracey’s varied clients span the length and breadth of Australia and overseas ranging from the Art Gallery of NSW, NGV Melbourne, Wolgan Valley Emirates resort, Cult Design, Aria restaurant Sydney, Dubai Opera restaurant, Dolphin Hotel Sydney, The Commons Hotel Hobart, Macquarie bank, Rabo bank to work on films such as Mission impossible and Star Trek, and events from the Winter Olympics to the launch of Hugh Jackman’s company.