PRIME MOVER - Artist's Statement Catherine Higham
Aristotle argued that behind every movement there must be a chain of events that brought about the movement that we see taking place. In his book Metaphysics (literally after physics), Aristotle calls this source of all movement the Prime Mover. The Prime Mover to Aristotle is the first of all substances, the necessary first sources of movement which is itself unmoved. It is a being with everlasting life, and in Metaphysics Aristotle also calls this being ‘God’. [1]
The exhibition title, 'Prime Mover' refers to Aristotle's explanation of the motivation for action, and the resulting flow-on effects interconnecting all systems. These ideas form the basis of my exploration of environmental issues in my work.
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Home for me is near the small town of Williams in the South-West of Western Australia. Since 1991 I have lived on the farm with my husband, Geoff Higham and later our daughters Emily and Aphra. My experiences on the farm, over time, provide the source material for my work. Two recent events in particular have had a significant impact on my experience: A dramatic reduction in annual rainfall, and the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) canola seed during 2010.
I have also been involved in the SymbioticA project Adaptation, based at Lake Clifton and coordinated from the University of Western Australia. My project involves using photography to document changes in water quality by observing bioindicators, organisms that indicate the health of local ecosystems. Much of the organic imagery within my works refers to complex, fragile and intricate water systems, while also alluding to other, similar systems found in nature.
A device I utilise in my work is the repetition of the square. The ordered, systematic pattern created by using multiple square panels alludes to man-made systems. These could be systems of knowledge, such as science and economics, or the structures and workings of machinery in the modern world. They speak of containment and commodification.
I map patterns of human behaviour within my paintings. I am interested in the shapes left by people once they are gone, their 'residue' if you like. In some works I refer to cloud seeding, a process that creates artificial rain. In works including Lupins & Canola, Motherlode and Fragment, patterns made by heavy machinery as they plant crops of wheat, lupins, canola, and oats are evident. They trace the topography of the landscape, while also linking modern farming methods with those practiced in ancient times.
In this current series of works I choose to blur the distinction between 'producer' and 'consumer' to reflect the interconnectedness of our actions and the environment that sustains us.
[1] Scandalon, Philosophy of Religion, http://www.scandalon.co.uk/philosophy/aristotle_prime_mover.htm
The exhibition title, 'Prime Mover' refers to Aristotle's explanation of the motivation for action, and the resulting flow-on effects interconnecting all systems. These ideas form the basis of my exploration of environmental issues in my work.
***
Home for me is near the small town of Williams in the South-West of Western Australia. Since 1991 I have lived on the farm with my husband, Geoff Higham and later our daughters Emily and Aphra. My experiences on the farm, over time, provide the source material for my work. Two recent events in particular have had a significant impact on my experience: A dramatic reduction in annual rainfall, and the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) canola seed during 2010.
I have also been involved in the SymbioticA project Adaptation, based at Lake Clifton and coordinated from the University of Western Australia. My project involves using photography to document changes in water quality by observing bioindicators, organisms that indicate the health of local ecosystems. Much of the organic imagery within my works refers to complex, fragile and intricate water systems, while also alluding to other, similar systems found in nature.
A device I utilise in my work is the repetition of the square. The ordered, systematic pattern created by using multiple square panels alludes to man-made systems. These could be systems of knowledge, such as science and economics, or the structures and workings of machinery in the modern world. They speak of containment and commodification.
I map patterns of human behaviour within my paintings. I am interested in the shapes left by people once they are gone, their 'residue' if you like. In some works I refer to cloud seeding, a process that creates artificial rain. In works including Lupins & Canola, Motherlode and Fragment, patterns made by heavy machinery as they plant crops of wheat, lupins, canola, and oats are evident. They trace the topography of the landscape, while also linking modern farming methods with those practiced in ancient times.
In this current series of works I choose to blur the distinction between 'producer' and 'consumer' to reflect the interconnectedness of our actions and the environment that sustains us.
[1] Scandalon, Philosophy of Religion, http://www.scandalon.co.uk/philosophy/aristotle_prime_mover.htm
The Countryman, 9 June 2011
Click to read article from The Countryman 9th June 2011.
Subterranea, Mundaring Arts Centre 2010
Exhibition Catalogue, 'Subterranea' Mundaring Arts Centre 2010.
CLICK TO READ
Agfest sculpture trail, Tasmania 2008
Presence, Fremantle Arts Centre 2007
Click to read exhibition catalogue.
Presence, Fremantle Arts Centre 2007
IN SITE Magazine, Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2007
Article clipped from In Site Magazine, 2007
The West Australian Visual Arts, January 2007
Clipping from The West Australian Visual Arts section from January 2007.
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