A Natural Comparison: Kim Anderson
Thursday, May 06, 2010 -
Sunday, November 07, 2010,
9:00 AM -
5:00 PM
Admission: Free
Kim Anderson's work has always primarily been inspired by images
of the body. After working more recently with light
projection and installation, this series of work represents a
return to the basic technique of drawing which has always been at
the core of her artistic process. A Natural
Comparison is an exhibition of a series of drawings
juxtaposing anatomical images with found objects from the natural
environment. This exploration began in March 2009 while she
was undertaking a residency at Murrays Cottage in Hill End, NSW
(funded by the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery).
"One morning I stepped outside to discover a 'spine' in my front
garden, a delicate stem of slightly withered leaves that almost
exactly emulated the human vertebrae. I ruminated on this,
wondered what nature was trying to 'tell' me. Suddenly, in
studying the finer details of my surroundings more closely, I began
to notice anatomical metaphors everywhere I looked - a brain, a
spleen, a lung, muscles, teeth, bones, skin."
In the spirit of early naturalists and botanists such as Joseph
Banks, Ferdinand Bauer, William Blackall and Sydney Parkinson,
Anderson began to collect these 'specimens' and study them
closely. It soon became apparent to her that there is a
strong link between the intricate structure of our own bodies and
that of the natural environment. These 'anatomical' parts
together make up a living breathing entity, whose complicated
physiological processes maintain an equilibrium not unlike that
occurring in our own bodies.