Living and working among protected native forest, Queensland-based artist Sarah Rayner finds herself privy to the hidden corners of nature’s endless cycle of life and death. “My studio desk is always covered with native flowers and seed pods in various stages of decay,” says the artist. “I watch them for days and weeks as they wither, change colour and split to reveal incredible interiors which are hairy, juicy and fleshy. I admire their incredible tenacity and determination – they have purpose.”
Rayner’s works are porcelain studies that seek to portray and interpret Gynoecium, which is the collective term for the reproductive parts of plants that develop into fruits and seeds. They are vital structures that are subject to astonishing levels of change and metamorphosis throughout their life cycle, upon which the very existence of Australia’s incredible biodiversity hangs.
At its heart, Rayner’s practice endeavours to ennoble these natural processes which are so vital to the stability of natural landscapes. This is in keeping with her sustainable lifestyle, living off the grid in a 1940s timber cottage on land she and her partner have protected with a voluntary conservation agreement. Residing here enables an immersive perspective on nature’s seasonal fluctuations, surrounded by the many and varied forms of Australia’s native flora.
“I feel most creative after walking and discovering new forms”, says Rayner. “Plants only flower and produce seedpods at particular times of the year depending on climatic conditions and geographical place. Observing different stages of flower and fruit development offers a unique experience each time.”
The artist painstakingly collects and records specimens she discovers, often producing a multitude of preliminary drawings upon which her sculptural works are based. These studies are then translated into porcelain, adjusted and exaggerated to accentuate the inherent strangeness and eccentricity of natural forms.
Rayner’s choice of porcelain is an informed one, drawing on its associations with science and alchemy to situate her works within a museological framework. “I have a fascination with the aesthetics of museums and the way objects are displayed and categorised,” says the artist “and how as humans we collect and organise objects in order to understand and in many ways control the natural world.”
Porcelain has also been used in equipment for both conventional and esoteric experiments for centuries, while maintaining artistic associations with sculpture and the decorative arts. These disparate connotations find themselves joined in the context of the museum, holding scientific wonders and aesthetic accomplishments. The pure white of Rayner’s works removes her subjects from their native soil and puts them on display, subjecting them to the analytical gaze of the viewer, and ultimately compelling her audience to appreciate their value.
Nature is a complex dance of decay and renewal, one which is both adaptable and perilously fragile. In her practice, Rayner composes an intimate portrait of these processes, producing works that invoke a sense of wonder, and capturing the unique idiosyncrasies of the Australian landscape.
Rayner’s next solo exhibition will be held in March 2023 at Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sydney.
Featured Image: Artist Sarah Rayner. Photo: Charmaine Lyons.