Mending Relations – Natalia Smith

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Natalia Smith, no date

(courtesy of the Gallery)

My work embodies an intimate connection with geological ecosystems, encouraging the idea of coexisting with the natural world rather than dominating it. Through painted narratives and utopic imaginings in which hierarchical structures do not exist, my work dismantles the notion that women and nature are inherently chaotic and in need of control. Instead, I aim to highlight an organic and symbiotic relationship between women and land, to liberate both entities from social, economic, and political structures of oppression.

I work primarily in painting though my art practice also encompasses printmaking and textiles. I am inspired by occurrences in my everyday life, including mundane domestic rituals, autobiographical narratives, and phenomenological experiences in nature. I use memories and photographic references of flora and fauna in the creation of my pieces. I often incorporate the human figure into my paintings using myself as a model, setting up the camera and capturing poses I envision for an image. By entangling the figure and environmental elements together, my intention is to harness the synergy and force these two entities create while also channeling the peacefulness and emancipation felt in a natural space distinct from an institutional one.

Positioned within an eco-feminist framework, my work is in dialogue with the lineage of feminist and ecological practices that critique systems of power while envisioning new ways of coexisting with the environment. Through this, I aim to contribute to ongoing conversations about the intersections of art, ecology, and feminism.