AT Art and Interiors and GALLERY 1515 hosted the exhibition, Anthropocene; The Present I, featuring a new series of photographic works by Vancouver artist Desirée Patterson who explores issues of sustainability and environmental awareness.
Anthropocene; The Present I showcases photographic works by Desirée Patterson whose process consists of digital documentation of industrialized landscapes in Canada and throughout the world. Patterson’s meticulous manipulation of form, shape, and orientation creates compositions that reveal the destructive human presence, ultimately articulating the disappearance and decay of nature. The focal points within each artwork portray the potentially cataclysmic effects of the modern world; urbanization, fossil fuel extraction, industrialization, consumerism, deforestation, and energy consumption. These circular configurations spiral into themselves symbolizing introspection and the infinite cycle of creation and destruction. Although the earth has witnessed geological rebirths, it has never been faced with this type of crisis. Our species alone (anthro – meaning human) is responsible for the ominous changes inflicted upon our planet, and as conscious beings we are uniquely capable of recognizing our own culpability.
