Thursday Salute to Originals: Nature as Canvas
Both the human body and nature have inspired the musings of many artists throughout history. In fact, imagine the walls of most museums – a large majority of the subjects belong to the category of either human figure or landscape. Today’s artist features both, breaking down barriers by melting the human figure into landscape surroundings with simply a paintbrush.
In this transformative process, travelling artist Orly Faya Snir ventures to remote areas of the earth and paints the local citizens into their surroundings. Orly paints her nude subjects to blend perfectly into a natural setting, such as a mountain range, dense tree forest, or seaside scene. Nature is the canvas, along with the human body, and the sun provides the sole source of illumination.
Merging figures with the natural setting, Orly seeks to remind us that we come from nature as “pieces of the earth”. And while the final photographs are fantastically stunning, the video glimpse into her process opens up further considerations. Being painted into nature involves a process of stillness and patience that is ceremonial, and perhaps a catalyst for healing. The body is mapped onto the land like a puzzle piece, yielding to the magnetic force of Mother Nature. How does Orly manage creating such a visually specific piece in an unpredictable outdoor environment, one in which the light or colors could change in a single breath? Sometimes she strikes a hopeful blue line across a body part, a silent wish for the sun to break through. And it usually answers.
This Thursday, we extend our salute to this artist for eloquently returning us to our root elements. Through blending in, what can be revealed?
Source: The Creators Project, Orly Faya