ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING THROUGH ART
Plants, future food cultures and the elements in a shifting climate
Vivienne Schadinsky is an artist–researcher and arts educator working in sumi-e (Japanese ink), organic pigments on paper, sculpture, film and publishing. The observation of nature through the lens of the 72 Japanese micro-seasons informs all her ongoing series. She is drawn to the intangible space between abstraction and representation, often reflected in nature itself.
Ongoing series
Vivienne likes to work on long-term projects, regularly adding her new learnings from her research, investigations and collaboration with her advisory board.
-
TWELVE
Observation of the botanical seasons
Documenting plants as they appear over the course of twelve month – and raising awareness to curb climate change to ensure the seasons can continue.
-
MAGIC HOUR
Endangered food plants and fungi
There is a very rapid extinction happening in our food chain due to climate change like for example in some of our favourites like, coffee, grapes, chocolate, bananas, avocado, chamomile and vanilla.
-
CIBUS
Future food
Some food plants might help to diversify our increasingly unvaried diets and are crucial in helping to improve global food shortages.
-
SEGES
Food plants thriving after extreme weather
With the advance of climate change, unprecedented weather patterns such as droughts, fires and flooding are becoming more frequent. Finding staple foods plants that can survive or thrive in these circumstances are essential.
-
NOUR - BEANS
Sustainable food of the future
Beans and legumes will become an even more important crop for future food solutions with the climate shifting, as they don't need many nutrients and legumes are nitrogen fixing amongst various other benefits.
-
URBANA
Tree health after extreme heat and drought
They are affected by the unusual hot and dry or wet weather. Urban trees in London grow in a different way than ever before. Their loss of energy due to this stress is interrupting their own cycle and also photosynthesis was shortened.
-
SEEDS
Without soil, sunlight, water and the right nutrients, a seed is simply buried but not planted.
-
SUNRISE - SUNSET
Endangered and extinct flowers
Many flowers and trees that have never been on the endangered list before are rapidly vanishing. Plant extinction is occurring up to 500 times faster than what would be expected naturally.
-
TERRA
Circles
Symbolising strength, wholeness and infinity. Representing the earth, the sun and the moon
-
AKASA
Ongoing project about the element SPACE
Before earth, air, water, fire — there is space. From which everything else emerges. Almost every element in our body was forged in the heart of stars and scattered across the universe when they died.
-
CINERES
Fire
is both a destructive and regenerative force in nature, vital to the cycles of growth and decay. Crops, for example, maintain a symbiotic relationship with fire: after harvest, crop residues are burned to clear fields, manage pests, and return key nutrients like potassium and phosphorus to the soil.
-
SINE AQUA NON VITA
Fresh water
Life and water belong ultimately together. Water is a unique source that underpins all drivers of growth. Only 2.5% of all water on Earth is fresh water, of which less than 1% is accessible – yet this resource is essential for human life.
-
SUB ROSA - EARTH | SOIL
Earth health
Soil is an irreplaceable resource that nurtures our plants and microorganisms and therefor all other life too. The ecosystems rely on the health and richness of it. This means it is the foundation of our food system and helps to provide us with essential nutrients.
-
TWILIGHT
Clean air
Layered ink paintings, air quality graph collages and cork willow installations resembling our lung trees. A metaphorical interpretation of our relationship with air and an exploration what nature exposed to pollution shows us about the health of our planet.
-
FRAGILE WORLD
One dandelion - many seeds
Change and the perfect imperfection.
The resilience of the dandelion: A story of hope, change and potential. One dandelion can re-wild a field…
-
A CURIOUS FRIENDSHIP
Plant to seed production
Seeds are vital for life on Earth. In this project they are wrapped into a pouch juxtaposed with its plant. They become a metaphor for life itself and the cycle of birth, death and regeneration.
-
WHISPERS
Paper sculptures
Ongoing journey with Japanese paper. Vivienne builds vessels from its delicate layers and brings in fragments of wood, leaves, seeds, and stones she gather from the landscapes around her.
-
FLORA
Short films
Botanical meditations – connecting us with nature
-
...OF TIME...
Filmmaking
Environmental Storytelling, Documentary
-
POLLINATORS
-
EDIBLE FLOWERS
This project is called CHLORIS. What does it mean to eat a flower? A connection between the garden and the kitchen. This project forms part of ongoing research into future foods, extreme weather. A selection of these flower paintings are available as a zine publication.
Studio
International exhibitions, art education—classes, talks, and workshops, advisory board, commissions, book publications, artist residencies, and a focus on using natural art materials.
-
EXHIBITIONS
-
SUSTAINABLE ART EDUCATION
The Sumie Project
-
COMMISSIONS | LICENSING
-
ADVISORY BOARD
The Current We Share
-
PUBLISHING
What The Silence Grew
-
LIMITED EDITIONS & PRINTS
Atelier Parallel
-
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
-
STUDIO INSIGHTS
-
SUMI-E ARTIST
-
PAPER
-
INKS
-
PIGMENTS | MINERALS
-
BRUSHES
-
FRAMES
You will receive studio insights, reflections on my art, updates on exhibitions and residencies,
observations from the small changes in the micro-seasons, and early access to new work and publications.