Niche'

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on February 6, 2016 at 9:16am

Curator’s Comments:  

 

Niche is an intriguing formal if not ecological image.  I’m unsure if the piece is about deteriorating ozone, as illustrated by the brown rust colored stains at the top of the globe, or another looming environmental concern.  The dramatic and stark contrast with the black background sets up the colorfully articulated planet as a jewel against a velvet ground.  I also appreciate the asymmetry of the space and cropping, as offsetting the large form allows the visual trajectory of the spidery branches to grown into the blooming yellow dandelions on top.  Leaving a bit of excess negative space at top nicely provides a dramatic respite from movement and color, but also alludes to outer space itself.  Does it suggest we are alone in the solar system, or perhaps just solely responsible for our destiny?  The tree branch lines also imply veins in a stratified living planet.  But perhaps these readings into possible content are too specific in interpretation.  The definition of niche could just refer to an ornamental recess rather than the role of organisms in a community of plants and animals.