‘A Garden Where I Found Myself, and I Found You’ features living plants, rocks, and soil composed to resemble a native Texas landscape. The installation brings an appreciation to the diversity of Texas ecosystems, and promotes the contemplation of ways to reintroduce nature into our lives. The clashing of natural and manmade worlds confront the displacement from nature that people have established through the development of modern society. We have progressively separated ourselves from nature and the stewardships that we once held with the Earth. The disassociation from nature has expanded to a disconnect from ourselves and others. This phenomenon has progressed through polarizing beliefs surrounding politics, along with the ongoing pandemic. Separation brings destruction, as the Earth has become neglected and people have turned against each other. I am longing for reconnection to our bodies, to others, and to nature. By walking through and interacting with the landscape, the viewer becomes a part of the piece itself. As you walk through the garden, I ask viewers to bring awareness to your body as it relates to, and interacts with the space and other viewers. The garden is a reminder of our roots that ground us to the Earth that connects us to one another.
The installation is part of the exhibition 'Light Body' that seeks to rekindle physical and spiritual connections that ground all sentient beings to the Earth. Each medium used investigates a different approach to reconnecting to nature. The artworks confront the modern day separation of human existence from the Earth by drawing similarities between the human form and the beautiful intricacies of natural spaces. This exhibit allows us to engage in meaningful dialogue with nature to understand the consciousness that flows through all things. By empathizing with the forms of nature, we are able to reevaluate both the relationships we hold with Earth and the actions we take to protect it.
