BOBBIE GRAY

Created during Bobbie’s residency at Cassis AIR in France between December 2019 to January 2020, the series began as sculptural works, documented through photography. Both natural and man-made materials found while exploring this new environment were brought together to create a vibrant and striking micro-landscape, photographed using an iPhone, a simple booth, and LED lighting.

 

What first appears to be a synthetic and unnatural cacophony of shape and colour becomes a reframed understanding of our behaviour within the Anthropocene. Natural elements placed alongside synthetic creations highlights the ephemeral nature of our relationship with the environment in this age of discard and disregard. Everything is relegated to the rubbish heap, regardless of its role within our world, or the energy used to produce items that will survive us by thousands of years.

 

The ultimate symbol of consumerism, the iPhone itself has become a midden of the Zeitgeist. Although virtually un-edited, this piece is presented as a highly processed and ‘filtered’ story, to be viewed for only a moment, then filed into an ever expanding camera roll of moments barely acknowledged.

 

Through reframing trash as treasure, not only in the presentation of the materials but the elevation of the iphone snapshot into a creative process, Bobbie has created an intricate and striking insight into the ability of art to reframe our relationship with the environment, and our everyday experiences.