“Rock Melt” (2015), cement, blast furnace slag, expanded glass, iron oxide, steel, Australian native plants, 350-550 x 60 x 60 centimeters. All images © Jamie North, shared with permission
Embedded within the eroded cement and marble pillars of artist Jamie North are a host of plants native to Australia. Kangaroo vines, Port Jackson figs, and kidney weeds wrap themselves around steel cables and grow from the crevices of the cracked stone forms, juxtaposing the industrial, human-made sculptures with organic elements. The lush greenery infuses the otherwise dilapidated structures with new life, which elicits a larger theme of regeneration.
In a note to Colossal, North writes that he begins each vertical work with a geometric cast evoking the stately shapes of the tower and column. When complete, the size of the sculptures ambiguously references various architectural elements. “Both tower and column are often associated with progress, triumph, and hubris,” he says. “These associations are addressed in my work by preemptive material erosion making the object conducive to plant sustainment, growth, and eventual merger with the inorganic form.”
View more of North’s living sculptures on his site.
“Succession” (2016), cement, steel, blast furnace slag, recycled expanded glass, coal ash, oyster shell, organic matter, Australian plants, 400 x 90 and 450 x 90 centimeters. Photo by Ashley Barber, courtesy of Sarah Cottier Gallery
“Succession” (2016), cement, steel, blast furnace slag, recycled expanded glass, coal ash, oyster shell, organic matter, Australian plants, 400 x 90 and 450 x 90 centimeters
“Terraforms” (2014), cement, marble waste, limestone, coal ash, organic matter, and various Australian plants. Photo by Ashley Barber, courtesy of Sarah Cottier Gallery
Left: “Succession” (2016), cement, steel, blast furnace slag, recycled expanded glass, coal ash, oyster shell, organic matter, Australian plants, 400 x 90 and 450 x 90 centimeters. Photo by Ashley Barber, courtesy of Sarah Cottier Gallery. Right: “Rock Melt” (2015), cement, blast furnace slag, expanded glass, iron oxide, steel, Australian native plants, 350-550 x 60 x 60 centimeters
“Terraforms” (2014), cement, marble waste, limestone, coal ash, organic matter, and various Australian plants. Photo by Ashley Barber, courtesy of Sarah Cottier Gallery
“Terraforms” (2014), cement, marble waste, limestone, coal ash, organic matter, and various Australian plants. Photo by Ashley Barber, courtesy of Sarah Cottier Gallery
“Rock Melt” (2015), cement, blast furnace slag, expanded glass, iron oxide, steel, Australian native plants, 350-550 x 60 x 60 centimeters