Consumption
Last spring, I camped along the Metolius River in the East Cascades bioregion. Already a somewhat sparce high desert environment, it was cleared of much of it’s underbrush by wildfires. The fire had left a scar on the landscape and vegetation. Many of the Ponderosa pines refused the torment of the fire and survived but not without damage. Around the base of these trees were piles of partially burnt bark the tree had shed. Marveling at the beauty of disaster, I picked up a few pieces to take with me. While searching around for what I might create for the final project, I stumbled upon these pieces of bark. This piece of art arose from that.
Throughout this class, we have been studying the relationship of people to the planet and the planet’s health through climate change. In this study, we have discussed Indigenous perspectives on this relationship. This piece of art uses wildfire burnt pine bark, reshaped by human hands, to replicate a flame. It signifies the reaping of the land and manipulation of nature by humans to create the very thing that is natural but caused by humans.
Click the link below to see larger photos.
