Glimpses of a hidden rural reality
Meg Noack
600mm x 300mm /
Works on Paper
2nd Place: Works on paper
At the Bunya Mountains, we stand in awe of majestic vistas and giant trees in a million shades of green. The reality is that none of this would be possible without the hidden mycological universe right beneath our feet; an invisible labyrinth that creates a network between trees and other plants; providing nutrients and messages. At times we glimpse this parallel universe. After continuous rain, these mycological networks send ‘flowers’ bursting from the earth and rotting trees. We commonly call these flowers ‘mushrooms’.
This work is visually nuanced and is well-framed and presented. It leans of the tradition of botanical studies and leverages these to explore the notion of the hidden. The visual components of these works effectively raise the subject into something for close consideration and contemplation. The artwork statement effectively describes a sense of rural wonder and simple beauty.
About the artist
As Meg Noak drives from the Bunyas into town, she notices the rural cycle of life. Planting. Growing. Ripening. Harvesting. Before her eyes, it is clear that much can go wrong. Forces of nature are a reality. These forces are beyond human control. Success becomes more than dollars. Success is learning to cope with nature’s unexpected, challenging surprises.