Chapter one: The Storm
Part of Ephemeral Bloom
View 3D exhibition in New Art City
Above: A grid of 94 cyanotypes and 49 marbled watercolour papers.
The genesis of my project traces back to a storm that carried grains of sand from the Sahara to the UK. Captivated by this phenomenon, I carefully gathered the dust and began to create cyanotypes. The delicate fragments, which had voyaged thousands of miles, ignited my curiosity, prompting me to learn about their origins.
Locked within the dust is phosphorus, a vital nutrient for plant life. Storms such as this have been found to transport over 22,000 tons of the nutrient each year to the Amazon, essential for the survival of its diverse rainforest. The storms are a crucial component of the Earth’s system, and an inspiring example of nature supporting itself.
The story of Athrú begins with a similar storm. Countless particles of life-giving dust take us on an airborne journey to the valley. They appear like stars, charting an expansive constellation, igniting worlds into existence. To me, the storm represents the inception of this project, marking the cusp of my journey to connect with nature and learn about myself.
Above: Cyanotypes and marbled watercolour paper.
Stars are like vast particles of energy,
the building blocks of the universe.
Clouds transport the winds of change,
Water bears the elixir of life,
Fire carries the energy of ignition and transformation.
Installation images
Above: Screenshots from 3D exhibition in New Art City, 2023.