A brief chat with Sustainability Artist, Sarah Strachan.

‘ONE’ Series - Interview 6.

Featured in Round Lemon’s ‘ONE’ Exhibition with her work ‘Objects Listening’, recent graduate Sarah briefly chats about value of materials, and her works shortlisted for the Sustainability Art Prize.

Can you tell us more about your art background?

I came to my art practice as part of my pivot from a career in healthcare communications. Having taken a more science led academic path I returned to higher education. In 2020 I graduated with a degree in Fine Art, 25 years after my first degree in Geography.

What is it about land art movements and Arte Povera that you are interested in? Is it linked to the unconventional processes and the non-traditional aspect of it?

It’s all about materials and processes for me. In my practice I seek to question or disrupt habitual perceptions and land art and Arte povera challenged and celebrated the value of materials, (without the hierarchy). I particularly like the fact that Arte povera as a movement wasn’t defined by any manifesto of sorts.

Would you describe your practice as conceptual? 

Good question, my works are certainly motivated by concepts but mostly through my research experience and connections with the land, it’s people and materials. I think of this as a kind of field work which alludes to my previous studies in geography and ecology. So process is important but so are materials.

Working across a variety of mediums, your titles often suggest elements of nature such as wind/air, water, cyclone, corrosion. How do you entitle your work? Do they mirror a possible fascination with Mother Nature? 

The titles of my work are usually a combination of head and heart - merging research and emotion and feeling. Nature and the elements are always present, as I approach environmental changes through my practice. I love ‘nature’, but I’m also conscious of the dangers of how we perceive nature and a phenomenon called ‘beautiful soul syndrome’. So, my fascination is more with how I might challenge our anthropocentric view of nature as ‘other’ in western culture.

‘Nature in Balance’

‘Cyclone Series’

Could you talk about “Nature in the balance, 2018” and “Cyclone series”? 

“Nature in balance” came about by accident. I was developing another work “Nature of things” which was shortlisted for the Sustainability Art Prize at the same time as it was supposed to be exhibited for my end of year show. “Nature of things” is a modular and site specific sculpture so I liberated some of the ceramic elements and improvised to make another work! “Cyclone series” and the follow up work “In circulation” are a series of ceramic works created in an attempt to capture the phenomenon of wind. The concept of cyclones and/or internal exchange of air works in parallel to the circulation of materials - production and destruction - and alluding to the recycled materials used for the installation.

‘In Circulation’

Your ceramic sculptures embrace mostly circular shapes. How do they exist in relation to your interest in the perception of being?

Interesting, on reflection I think the circular forms relates to my ecological perception of being in the world. Within the complex ecological systems of the world - the cycle of energy and matter over time.

Is your work addressing comments about any current political issues concerning our relationship as humans with the environment?

Yes but political with a small ‘p’ - issues of sustainability are always complex. Sustainability issues are often referred to as wicked problems - incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognise.

‘Objects listening’ was inspired by my experience of tinnitus but it was developed in parallel with another work ‘Above, so below’ which unfortunately hasn’t been fully realised yet due to the global pandemic. Which in turn follows on from ‘The library of the future’ which addresses issues of climate change, sea level rise - hence the water in ‘Objects listening II’.

Who are the top 3 contemporary artists you admire? Why?

So many great artists but three I’ve admired for a while are Hito Steyerl, Joan Jonas and Nina Canell - all women! Where do all the women artists go? Art schools are full of us!

Do you have any up and coming projects/events that you would like to mention?

I’m currently working on a project about soil and sustainability. It’s shortlisted for the Sustainability Art Prize due to launch in May 2021 and will feature in an online exhibition later this month as part of my MA in Fine Art at Cambridge School of Art. It’s a series of works, one of which ‘Just a spoonful’ will be exhibited next week as part of a group show in the Ruskin Gallery in Cambridge.

Where can people find you?

On my Instagram, LinkedIn or via my website!