Exhibition expert: The Heart of Gaia
No doubt you have heard the word Gaia before. Originating from the Greek word for earth, Gaia is the ancient Greek mother goddess of all life itself. The notion of a mother nature has been represented throughout history in various forms and although dressed up differently, the connotations remain generally the same. Gaia, or mother nature, symbolises growth, the home and birth in various cultures.
The word nature has its origins in the Latin language, meaning the course of things, or natural character. While in old French, nature has connotations of ‘being’ - the principal of life and an essence. To me, there is a connection between these concepts. As we move through this world, our interactions with Gaia shape our character or, as the old French would put it, our very essences. We are part of this earth, this being.
James Lovelock brought the personification of Gaia to the scientific community in the 1970’s, proposing that the earth could be recognised as a self-regulating eternity – a true mother. He saw that organisms co-evolved with, and shaped, their non-living environment. Although the Gaia Hypothesis developed by Lovelock has been generally rejected, I believe he was on to something.
To me, the notion of Gaia encapsulates my identity, the places I have forged treasured memories. It is a connection to special parts of the world, parts that resonate with my being. If the earth is the mother of life, then these special places form it’s beating heart that sustains my own. Through this exhibition I have chosen to revisit these magical parts of Tasmania. In doing this I have reconnected with my heart of Gaia, my essences and maybe these works resonate with a part of your own Gaia – your own heart of mother earth.