'Outer Leaves' / Simone Scandrett
Simone Scandrett is an emerging artist from Naarm (Melbourne) who makes work focused on nature and the relationship between humans, their communities and environmental ecosystems. In the midst of lockdown, Simone created an ephemeral installation of natural, found and created objects, titled ‘Melon Gods and Flower Spirits’. The work was inspired by her studies in Plant Science and observations of a sudden, lockdown-induced gravitation towards parks and natural environments. It also formed the basis of her newest project, ‘Outer Leaves’, a series of delightfully tactile, plush sculptures.
In this interview, I asked questions based on Simone’s essay accompanying ‘Melon Gods and Flower Spirits’ (check it out here!). In a mixture of topics characteristic of her work, we discussed spirituality, science, art, nature, accessibility, aaaand the various interrelationships between them.
Isolation has been a time of introspection for many, and for myself, a time of discovering spirituality. It is a wonder that despite public gatherings being banned, public parks and nature reserves are more populous than ever. Feeling the restorative effects of going outside to be surrounded by grasses and trees, I believe there is a reason for our yearning as humans to be in natural surrounds and an energy that connects all living things.
What does a sense of spirituality mean to you?
To me a sense of spirituality can equate to a passion or a real belief in something without the rules and formalities of religion. It’s something personal that doesn’t necessarily have to be shared, or even followed consistently. I say that I feel a sense of spirituality about nature because I feel, with my knowledge of the complexity and elegance of the natural world, that there is an interconnectedness between living things and the landscape.
I created my installation to be a shrine to nature, inspired by paganism and ancient religious ritual. I sewed plush totems of flowers and a fern gametophyte (a fern baby that lives in the soil) from hand dyed fabric, hung amongst the branches of the tree as a form of religious iconography. The fern gametophyte is sewn with jade crystals down its front to represent the presence of gamete-forming organs.
Was the spirituality of nature something that was on your mind pre-lockdown? Or do you think lockdown helped you have these realisations?
I was always taught by my dad to have a respect for the landscape, and often went bushwalking growing up. Learning about the natural world at uni, we are taught about the shared ancestry of all living things (including humans) and their close interdependence in ecosystems. I began to suspect that there was an unseen element to this interconnectivity as well. This was really cemented by my experiences in lockdown- I’ve really felt the decompressive effects of nature and have experienced an even stronger yearning to spend time in natural environments.
The various motifs symbolise components of the plant life cycle and reproduction. The works are composed of dying leaves, fruit, plants gone to flower, seeds and plant reproductive structures collected from my garden and the local neighbourhood. The ephemerality of the install also contributes to this lifecycle, gradually rotting back into the earth.
Have you made ephemeral art installations in the past? It seems like a very different approach from more traditional attitudes towards art-making and exhibiting!
I have in fact! Or at least a few informal ‘experiments’. I have always incorporated natural elements into my installations, rocks and flowers and vegetables. Due to nature being an ongoing theme in my work, the ephemerality of the install depends on which part of nature I wish to represent. Once I put elastic bands on all the vegetables in our home vegetable garden – moulding the eggplants into unusual shapes as they grew around the bands.
I installed my works in and around a nectarine tree in my backyard, which is currently in a state of renewal, having lost all its leaves going into winter. I also employed a very basic science experiment to my installation, placing white pansies in a solution of blue food dye and sugar. This caused the pansies to draw up the food dye, making it possible to see which parts of the flower the water is taken to before it is used in respiration, forming patterns on the petals in blue.
A lot of the time science and art are pitted against one another- are science, art and spirituality all connected for you?
I think science is actually very creative! I find that I use a very similar way of thinking when approaching my uni work and my studio practice – both involve problem solving, experimentation, and both can lead to really thrilling, unexpected discoveries when trying something new. However, I do think it is my artistic sensibility that causes me to wonder about the spiritual possibilities or explanations as to why the natural world is so extremely complex yet so elegant and synchronised.
My soft sculptures are inspired by nature, featuring mostly flower, butterfly and fruit shapes, and are all made from hand-dyed fabric and are hand beaded with treasures I trawl the internet for. They are very much in keeping with my art practice as a whole, which celebrates nature, and a spiritual connection between nature and all living things, featuring ceremonial and folklore aesthetics.
How did your series of plush sculptures, Outer Leaves, get started?
I was experimenting with different dyes, embroidering, and hand sewing to create plush totems for ’Melon Gods and Flower Spirits’. I started receiving a few requests for custom soft sculptures, which organically rolled into ‘Outer Leaves’. I suspect a subconscious desire of comfort informed my transition towards textile- I was feeling the need for tactile, soft materials. I was also drawn towards the meditative, repetitive aspects of handsewing and embroidery.
Every soft sculpture/cushion [for Outer Leaves] is a unique artwork that doesn't need to be admired on a wall, rather can be touched and enjoyed close to the body, which I think is a comfort that many are looking for during these times in Melbourne.
Do you think bringing the sense of touch into art, and making it more accessible, is important?
I think the illusion of formal, high art is alienating and intimidating for a lot of people! And as people spend more time at home, attention is turning (in art consumers) toward what can easily be brought into the home, and (for artists) what can easily be made at home. Touching an artwork isn’t necessarily required for all art, but I think is a comforting factor at the moment: friends knit hats and scarves for one another, make cards, sew bags – its all a form of art that gives immediate gratification and can be used as a symbol of friendship during a time where a sense of community is largely absent. A lot of my custom orders for Outer Leaves are friends sending gifts to another friend. The feeling of receiving something handmade and personalised can supplement some of the warmth we are missing out on, especially in Melbourne.
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