Nature and natural disasters
ROME -- Michelle Rogers’ latest paintings explore the relationship between man and nature. Her collection, entitled “Shadows of Eden” show the beauty and peace of nature but also its destructive power, taking the admirer from Genesis' garden to scenes more reminiscent of the apocalypse.
Irish born Rogers' oil paintings, on display at the FDA project Gallery in Rome, show the stark contrast between images of people at peace with their natural surroundings and also victims of them.
The impact is a powerful one, as on entering the Gallery the contrast is apparent at once, with bright green, leafy colours on the one side, delicately spattered with soft florals, and a giant piece made of six canvases hanging on the opposite side, depicting a dull yellow high-rise city street in China which has been devastated by a flood.
A single man walks down the ruined road, now a river. Gallery owner Suzanne Giorgiulo Stierli said the contrast of the city backdrop with the other natural surroundings is also striking; “in the wild it’s like the people don’t need anything else, they’re happy with just nature. But in the manmade city, everyone is surrounded by things that they have to have to make them happy.”
The portrayals of nature as a paradise are beautiful. Each of the canvases shows a single figure surrounded by luscious green wilderness, with the shadows of their environment falling across their skin. The image is one of closeness and connection with the world, in some cases the earthy shadows seem imprinted on their bodies. One man is shown holding himself in front of an immense tree, evoking feelings of modesty in the presence of such majesty, and perhaps also is a sign that he knows what nature might be capable of, evidence of which hangs on the opposite wall.
Another canvas holds the image of a woman with her back to the viewer, wearing an elegant gown, kneeling by a lake surrounded by reeds and shrubbery. There is a sense of serenity and peace as she looks over the water. Lake Gowna is a simple painting of a willow tree over a lake, mirroring its leaves. It shows nature as a still and reflective force, with no hint of the destructive power water is capable of unleashing, as evidenced in the painting just a couple of metres away.
The textured oil paintings allowing the light to fall on their ridged surfaces, creating further shadows and the illusion of movement in the scenes.
The paintings will be on display and available to purchase at the the FDA Project Gallery, Via Paola 23, until April 29.
