Saskia Lythgoe

BA Art and Design

The reimagined forest takes its inspiration from the version of a forest we see in nature and creates a nostalgic, fairy tale version using man-made materials, while also including collected materials from the forest. Planks of wood covered in plaster and painted according to their contours have been the result of recreating this aesthetic. Green is the primary colour used for this as it is associated with nature and plant growth.

The phrase, “mother nature”, was also considered when creating The Reimagined Forest. The personification of nature creates an understanding that it is a living thing and deserves respect. Assigning the female gender to it assumes that the environment has nurturing tendencies and is a comforting place. There is an alternative, misogynistic stance that could be taken here. The temperamental manner of nature, in particular the weather, can be associated with the effects of the menstrual cycle.

Crochet and knitting are used in this piece as a stereotypical, traditional reference to femininity and a further reference to the phrase “mother nature”. Knitting as a craft has a personal sense of nostalgia to me because when I was younger, it was an activity carried out together with my late Grandmother during our summer holidays. This, along with the soft texture of wool, has a significant comfort and has a sense of nostalgia. The use of these mediums also references the fashion industry and paired with the environmental imagery, creates connections to its impact on the environment.