China based artist and illustrator creating intricate illustrations vibrant with colour and life; focusing on motifs from nature. Highly influenced by East Asian folklore and art- such as elaborately curled clouds, giant carp and Chinese garden lions…. Wang’s style is also reminiscent of Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
I adore this artists work. Recently I have been working on illustrations heavy on nature symbolism, colour and intricate line work. It’s always refreshing to discover an artists work whom you can identify strongly with their process and influences. Thinking about ways in which i can explore the theme of In Real Life, especially in the context of current situations of Covid 19; i started thinking about how Mother Nature is beginning to thrive again in the absence of humans. Our destructive behaviours are practically non existent right now, as everybody is in quarantine, and so the natural planet has some time and space to breathe again.
I started researching into the links between nature and the pandemic; which created interesting relationship dynamics between human behaviour, nature, disease, and the positive and negative consequences…
Scientists have emphasised the links between humanity’s destruction of biodiversity to creating conditions for new viruses and diseases to arise with profound health and economic impacts globally. There are visible connections between human well-being with the wellbeing of other ecosystems and organisms.
Science, nature and travel writer David Quammen stated how humans invading ecosystems which harbour many unknown viruses; which results in disrupting ecosystems which shakes viruses loose from their natural hosts- resulting in the transmission to humans.
An example of this has been seen in the United States, where suburbs fragment forests raised the risk of Lyme diseases by altering the ecosystems and affecting the complex cycle of the Lyme pathogen.
But, we should never see the natural ecosystems as the threat sources- it is human behaviour that is the threat source. Our interference with ecosystems has consequences larger than the majority of us can usually appreciate. In an era of chronic emergency we need to change human behaviour, and listen to people at community levels, potentially startling with education and awareness.
Looking into the relationship between nature and viruses- I was inspired to look more into the impact this global pandemic has had on the natural planet. There have been numerous news reports on animal life flourishing in previously harsh conditions, such as dolphins returning to Cagliari; Swans in canals of Burano; sika deer in parks in Nara, Japan, and wild turkeys in parks in Oakland. It’s a reminder that animals have always lived with us, we have pushed them away. Hopefully, at the end of this pandemic, we will emerge from isolation with a deeper respect for nature, and hopefully make more of an active effort to maintain peace and sustainability.
Caitlin Noble 