Saturday 3 March 2012

Sphagnum Moss


“A digital image of an oil painting is forever a representation not a real thing. A real painting is a bottomless mystery, like any other real thing. An oil painting changes with time; cracks appear on its face. It has texture, odour, and a sense of presence and history. A physical object will be fully rich and fully real whatever you do to it. It will respond to any experiment a scientist can conceive. What makes something real is it is impossible to represent it to completion.” (Lanier J, 2010, pg.133)

After a visit to Scar Reservoir the sphagnum moss that grows in abundance within the area was a real draw for me. Its beautiful soft spongy texture, vibrant green colour and pungent earthy smell is irresistible! Utilising another membrane layer of the keyboard I attached the moss with the process of stitch. Appropriating the silver casing often associated with digital media through the use of metallic silver thread.  Nature taking over technology? Enveloping, encasing becoming one of the same? The juxtaposition contrasts two entities. Digital technology would not be if it wasn't for nature! But the moss is a real and living entity.