Jeff Irwin
“Nature is Fragile”
Artist Statement
All of my work deals with the manipulation of nature by human forces and the struggle to find balance between our needs and that of the natural environment.
Utilizing the tree form as a metaphor for nature, and then manipulating that tree, I examine the uses and abuses we impose upon the natural world to make our lives better. The work questions our degree of need and the role nature must play to fulfill those demands. I use animal imagery to note the role animals take as icons, pets, and symbols in contemporary and ancient societies.
Beyond representing the manipulation of nature, the work also discusses our need to idealize that manipulation through dominance and the presentation of trophies. On deeper levels it alludes to power, ego, fear, preciousness, and loss. When working on ideas for pieces I look for contradiction, irony, and humor in the world that surrounds me. I like to take notice of both, how we impact this world and how we interpret that impact.
Using a relatively fragile material like clay to create this work serves to reinforce my message of the fragility of nature.
