Heaven and Earth

curatorial statement by Rhona Wenger
Grimsby Public Art Gallery
June 22 – August 12, 2001


"As we enter the twenty-first century, we have vast amounts of technology at our disposal. Despite this, the environmental crisis continues to grow. Science has failed because the problem runs deeper than many realize. We have become alienated from the natural world and have taken it for granted. Traditional history and religion have taught us that the world is here to be ruled – in other words, to be exploited and plundered. We have learned this lesson all too well… It is time to realize that we are not separate and above Nature… we are Nature, just like any other living creature… We need an entirely new world view – one that understands and respects the physical and spiritual connection we have with the natural world and the planet as a whole". ~ Laurie Kilgour Feb. 2000

Heaven and Earth brings together the work of three artists who examine the Earth in order to understand the interconnectedness of the Universe. The exhibition carries a strong environmental message; we must understand our place in the greater whole and appreciate the unusual beauty of our planet. Each artist uses a highly individual approach to her chosen medium and makes her observations from a unique point of view. Each also scrutinizes her subjects from afar, introducing a sense of distance that encourages the viewer to see the Earth not for its intricate details or as the sum of its parts, but as an integral part of the cosmos.

Laurie Kilgour uses satellite imaging to visualize the earth’s surface from far above the planet. She is inspired by ancient cultural beliefs that the Earth is a sacred life-giving entity, which she contrasts with the prevailing cultural view of the Earth as a neutral, static stage on which our actions take place. She also draws on sources as diverse as Socrates, mediaeval alchemists and David Suzuki for their theories that focus on the interdependence of all living things. Kilgour renders her vision of the Earth in assemblages and mixed media relief, which create poignant glimpses of the complex system that is our world.

Kilgour’s assemblages are physically and intellectually layered. Most incorporate representations of the Earth’s surface either in the form of low relief constructions that mimic topographical models, or fragments of maps. Superimposed over these are early diagrams of the solar system and other scraps of ancient wisdom. Many of Kilgour’s recent works emphasize the sacred nature of their subject matter by echoing the form of traditional religious objects such as shrines or reliquaries, which enclose and present fragments of venerated objects and suggest that the Earth, like Christian saints, in undergoing a process of martyrdom. Dried rosebuds are incorporated into several pieces, neatly organized and isolated in a compartment below the main image. These rosebuds have become, for Kilgour, a nonspecific symbol and personal signature, suggesting life and death as well as the natural world and human creation. Other works present similar material in small black boxes that simultaneously bring these diverse objects together and isolate them in small compartments. Kilgour organizes and displays these objects in a way that suggests a cabinet of curiosities, but also maintains the reference to the reliquary by partially lining some of the boxes with gold leaf. For Kilgour using the human intellect to understand the sacred nature of the Earth is necessary to preserve our planet.

All three of these artists share a vision, an understanding and a concern for the Earth that focuses on fundamental truths by using a distant vantage point to render the beauty and fragility of our natural environment. A powerful, even biblical, resonance of heaven and earth is created through the juxtaposition of their works, in an exhibition that metaphorically encompasses the entire universe. ~ Rhona Wenger, curator