Naturing
a
Thought
Erin Hughes, Jo Minoprio
Online Exhibition | Naturing a Thought
Where should we look to find answers? The pandemic lockdown has made many of us reflect on aspects of our routines and the environments that perhaps we have taken for granted. This collection of works by three artists was curated to make you think about two schools of thought.
Biophilia. A theory established by evolutionary biologist E. O. Wilson. It suggests that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature, for its positive impacts. Much research shows the favourable effects from wellbeing, since being physically in nature can stimulate clarity of thought and even happiness - whatever that is.
The second, is the idea that we can learn from nature to solve human problems. Also known as, “Biomimicry” coined by author Janine Benyus in 1997. Humanity has taken inspiration from nature for thousands of years. As explored in popular Netflix documentary; Abstract, The Art of Design, it highlights advocate Neri Oxman. A celebrated Designer, Architect and Professor at MIT who like Albert Einstein, wants us to look deeper into nature, to find answers to everything.
Thoughtfully curated below, is a body of works by two female artists, Erin Hughes, Jo Minoprio. Different from their backgrounds and techniques, their works are all inspired from their environments and hope to encourage the appreciation of nature and how it makes us think.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
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+ About Erin Hughes
b. 1989 United Kingdom, based in Wales
Erin Hughes, completed her BA at Ruskin School of Drawing, Oxford University in 2012, followed by her MA painting at the Royal College of Art, London
Erin Hughes, produces intricate, hand-cut collages, developed from her interest in using marble laminates and hand-marbled papers. She plays with the craft of 'pietre dure' to construct collages that emulate stone-inlaid images. Hughes is inspired by the marble floor at Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice, B&Q, Windows 95 screen savers, William Morris, Julian Opie’s early works self-mocking comedy and the parallax effect. This series "Hilltops" is a series of vivid, surreal like works, which encourage the viewer to delves into their imagination to wonder how, where and why
Hillside 1, Hand-cut hand-marbled paper, black ink, mounted on white cartridge paper
39 x 29 cm (2019)
+ Erin Hughes Recent Exhibitions
- 2020 (upcoming) Surface Matters, Take Courage Gallery, London
- 2020 (upcoming) Abducting the Priestess Might Solve your crops, Ergo Collective x Space 52, Athens
- 2020 (upcoming) The Amber Room, London
- 2019 Adazzel, JGM Gallery, London
- 2019 Autumn Exhibition, Minerva Arts Center, Llanidloes
- 2019 SOLO exhibition HOOT HOOT, HOOT HOOT, Lady Margaret Hall Library, Oxford
- 2019 The Amber Room, Notting Hill, London
- 2019 Hidden, Miverva Arts Center, Llanidloes
- 2019 Skelf, one exhibition
- 2019 A raw garden, Fitzrovia Gallery
- 2019 Hidden, Mid Wales Art, Powys
- 2019 Size Matters, Fringe Arts Bath Festival
Email the team your questions at studio@artthou.co.uk
Jo Minoprio
+ About Jo Minoprio
b. 1958 United Kingdom, based in Exmoor England
Jo Minoprio, began her studies drawing and painting at Oxford In 1976, famously tutored by artist Alan Halliday. This was followed by completing a foundation year at Taunton Art school
Minoprio’s practice is centred around the concept of ‘Design in Nature’, looking at what we can learn from the design and form of the nature around us, and how it can lead us to live better lives. This Tree Top series began on Exmoor, while lying in the middle of a tree circle made up of 160 year old beech trees planted on a 6 foot high circular stone faced bank, exposed to the elements, high up on the moor with not another tree in sight. Minoprio has been photographing Exmoor for over 40 years and seems to gravitate back to the beech trees circles pictures here, where we see the harmony between the trees, creating space between themselves, a utilitarian community of sorts that allows others a room to live and breathe
Contrast, Photograph, 85 x 85 cm
+ Recent exhibitions
- 2020 (upcoming) Lymouth – Exmoor National Parks Centre
- 2020 (upcoming) Delamore Art Festival
- 2020 (upcoming) The Bridgewater Art Centre Gallery
- 2019 Group exhibition, Delamore Art Festival, UK
- 2019 Solo exhibition, Exmoor Society, Exmoor, UK
- 2019 Group exhibition, Simonsbath Art Festival
- 2019 Annual Group exhibition, Lanacre Barn Gallery, UK
- 2018 In their Material Wood, Messums Gallery, UK
Email the team your questions at studio@artthou.co.uk
