Elaine Lorenz

I have concerns with the interaction between nature and culture; the fragility of the earth and the destructiveness of human consumption and construction. My sculptures are a poetic reminder of man’s encroachment upon and control of nature. They reference civilization, cultivation, and the necessary role we must assume as caretakers of the earth. My sculptures need human involvement; they must be watered, have access to light, be fed and sometime pruned. The sculptures are also about the human need for a physical connection with the earth, the centeredness, beauty and serenity we gain when experiencing natural phenomena through all our senses. The precarious balance of Gathering and the responses of your body walking through the enclosed space, taking in the smell of the plants and the wet earth, or the heat of the baking sun, is a reminder of the life generating forces of nature that we need in order to exist, and that we need to preserve.

My thanks to Enrico for making everything possible, to my husband, Howard, and our friends, Suzanne and Howard, for their help in moving earth and planting the pieces. Special thanks to the Socrates crew who cared for the plants during the summer drought and to Sheree Kaslikowski who worked so hard to replace the ones that didn’t survive.

Reflecting the fragility of natural vegetation and the strength of geological formations, this work evokes basic memories of secret and special places, both real and imaginary. The viewer’s senses of smell, touch, and vision are all involved as they are drawin in and channeled through the site. The focus of my work is the contradictory relationship between people and nature: our appreciation of its beauty and life sustaining forces and coexistent technological greed and destruction of the earth. My sculpture pays homage to the capriciousness of nature; at the same time, it addresses human attempts to control and restrict nature. Special thanks to the staff and crew at Socrates Park and all my good friends who helped me with this piece.