SYLVAN
Solo exhibition David Griessel – October 2024
This exhibition is a visual presentation of a lifelong obsession with trees.
Since I was little I have been captivated by the labyrinthine constellations of tree canopies around me. This fascination has never led to a scientific study of trees and plant life, but rather an aesthetic and almost spiritual appreciation. As an artists who works within the realm of the fantastical, I have taken imaginary liberties with my depiction of the natural world. The species of fynbos and trees showed in this exhibition really exist (you can see them all in Kirstenbosch) but I have blurred the lines between humanity and the kingdom of plants.
Forests and plant life have always held an important place in humanity’s psyche and this can be seen in the way arboreal themes are featured in religions and myths dating back to archaic civilisations. Many cultures (especially early ‘pagan’ religions) included tree inspired motifs and symbols in their liturgical practices and texts. The figure of the earth mother, Gaia is also a recurring figure in legends, myths and religions and worship of this deity pre-dates the great monotheisms. Contemporary fascination with trees and nature is also prominently manifested in Jungian psychoanalytic practise, where holistic well-being is often allegorised in a tree diagram. These examples are mere pinpricks in the rich history of tree-culture and my exhibition taps into this rich past which can act as a source of limitless creative inspiration.