PERTH METRONET ARTWORK COMMISSION: LAND OVER SUN & MOON OVER OCEAN

Land Under Sun & Moon Over Ocean are inspired by the nature of Western Australia. The works incorporate macro-details from within my process-driven paintings, mirroring environmental processes based on flow patterns; an aesthetic dialogue between water, land and natural cycles of the region.

These works have just been installed, after I was selected as the commissioned artist for the Alkimos Bulkheads, part of the Perth Metronet Yanchep Rail Extension.

ESSAY | Franca Berti on Caroline Christie-Coxon and The Circle.

The world surrounding us seems to be a constant juxtaposition of opposites; good and evil; order and chaos; the finite and the infinite; scarcity and abundance. Without one the other is meaningless. The constant in all this is the natural world through which all things pass. Nature is a constant in the world and the shape of a circle is repeated throughout nature in the form of a flower, fruit, seeds, the foods we eat, the representation of the sun, earth, and planets. The circle is a shape present in nature that is inherent to how we connect with and relate to the natural world, its form existing from the earliest of civilisations to modern day.

Consider the circle in nature moving through to the construction of Stonehenge around 3000 BC to the principals of Yin and Yang of 500 BCE then onto Zen culture of the 5th Century, the circle is fundamental to the symbolism representing belief systems in these cultures. Caroline Christie-Coxon has spent her career considering, investigating, and working with the circle. It is this of path investigation which has deeply reflected on the role and purpose of the circle in our existence. From this study Christie-Coxon narrows the gap between humanity and nature, giving meaningful insight into the deeper dualities, energies and synergies that are naturally juxtaposed during the course of our daily lives. Her latest exhibition RAW at Kamile Gallery features Coxon’s “Black Paintings.” In this series the artist further studies the behaviour and relevance of the circle, our connection and relationship with this form existing in nature before man inhabited the planet.

Coxon’s extensive study has included research of these ancient civilisations and practices including inquiry into the cave paintings of prehistoric communities, the Chinese Ying and Yang and the practice of Enso in Zen culture. It is this practice of Enso which has informed her creative practice. This practice of Enso is both spiritual and creative and involves rendering the circle in one or two fluid movements. This practice symbolises the universal principals of enlightenment, strength, and togetherness. This principal unifies the participant to the whole reminding us of our natural connection to the universal. It is by this practice that we are humbled and honoured reminding us we are both one, and also part of the same natural force that governs the universe. In this way inclusivity is a given as every being fits into the earth’s sphere, has a place and purpose, and is part of the entirety.

The circle is infinite, feeds into each other, it is continuous in motion yet finite in form, its simplicity is minimal, however, in its infinity it is abundant. The idea of the circle feeding into itself prompting discussion into the past informing the future. Within the memory bank of the past there is the suggestion of a prosperous and promising future when wrongs from the past can be learned from and not repeated. The infinity of the circular form resounds with an eternal spirit of the past and projects into the future. 

Exploring the circle, Christie-Coxon’s practice delves into the juxtaposition of opposites that is life. Her work expresses the duality of construct and fluidity, the imperfection of the fluid act and the simultaneous completeness of each piece present within its individuality. The shape of the circle provides a familiar form for viewers however, beyond Christie-Coxon’s initiation of the gesture, the work is relinquished to nature, directed only by the natural forces with which it is surrounded. This innate process adds an energy to the work which echoes beyond the physical completion of the work. The art exists in the process, the place where artist and nature collaborate. Initially the artist controls the process, as nature surrenders to the process dictated by the artist. However, imperative to Christie-Coxon’s work is her subsequent surrender to nature. In an interesting reversal of roles, the artist steps back and allows the physical process of the artwork to flow with these natural forces. This concept of surrender is simultaneously fascinating and brave as well as a process I envy in this world where everything seems controlled, planned, and excessive.

Christie-Coxon’s ability to surrender to reveals a sincere, humble, and pure practice, the end result being the beautiful works included in this latest exhibition. It is in this context that the artist speaks to the global issue of sustainability, her works evolve naturally and there is an organic minimalism in the incomplete circle as she allows the paint to fall away guided by nature to its final place of rest and completion. In this manner the works are dynamic as the paint drips then settles in the form of lines and gathered balls of paint. The works carry a sense of the ebbs and flow of life which we all navigate throughout a lifetime with the suggestion of a governing natural force.

This latest group exhibition at Kamile Gallery, RAW, speaks to the possibility of harmonious existence between humanity and nature. With consideration to the principals of nature and the thoughtful exchange between the two, the coexistence is possible but the notion of surrender is crucial. Christie-Coxon’s body of work encompasses the familiarity of form with the depth of texture and the raw motion of pouring paint, Christie-Coxon references the past and acknowledges the metaphysical to prompt thoughtful exchange between the viewer and the artwork.

-        Franca Berti