Feminine features have always been examined by various groups for various reasons, including through art. However, PostNatures at Sheffield’s Graves Gallery takes a different approach to this, examining the relationship between women and nature and examines a post-natural world.
PostNatures is a collection curated by artist Victoria Lucas. It displays JMW Turner’s ‘The Festival of the Opening of the Vintage at Mâcon’ at its centre, alongside a range of other works, as well as objects from Sheffield’s own collection. The exhibition aims to provide us with points we can use to rethink the notion of the feminine in nature, especially in a post-natural world.
This collection was a mixed bag for me, with a range of great pieces & a few I didn’t feel particularly drawn in by. The grandeur of some pieces was a sight to behold, but others ensured my enjoyment receded slightly. Despite being centred on JMW Turner’s sizeable work, my favourite pieces were actually much smaller, with Albrecht Altdorfer’s ‘The Large Spruce’ and Gertrude Hermes’ ‘Autumn Fruits’ captivating my attention significantly more, with their simple monochrome colour yet beautiful detailing standing out amongst the pieces. However, my enjoyment of this exhibition was restrained by another piece – Victoria Lucas’ ‘The Letdown’ features video of a woman using her body to deflate an inflatable, but with the sound on, the peaceful silence of the room is shattered, which was quite distracting when looking at the other pieces.
PostNatures features a range of unique and wonderful pieces, but the enjoyment is reduced heavily by the sound of deflation. With the sound turned off or sent through headphones, this exhibition would be a lot more enjoyable.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
PostNatures is on display in Graves Gallery until December 8th
