Primitive Matter explores the intrinsic relationship between humans and nature and this primal connection that has endured over time. The exhibition is part of an ongoing series by the artists Wona Bae and Charlie Lawler that isolates nature from its context highlighting the interaction between natural systems and the built environment.
Backwoods Gallery presents Primitive Matter, in which - guided by the observation of natural cycles - Bae and Lawler push the limits of a material giving it new depth and meaning. The organic textures overtly present within this body of work reference topographic lines and the transformation of environments as they have adapted and evolved. Similarly, they allude to abstract landscapes that feel both familiar yet foreign.
The exhibition features an immersive installation using spatial and design elements with a multichannel soundscape that turns leaves into speakers, produced by Martin Kay. The large-scale suspended artwork highlights Bae and Lawler's use of texture and scale and encourages an interaction, inviting the viewer to experience this primal connection to nature.
Bae and Lawler specialise in experiential and concept-driven art installations. They have collaborated since meeting in Germany in 2004, establishing Loose Leaf Studio in Melbourne, Australia in 2013. The artists’ work explores themes of life and death, impermanence and the human-nature relationship.