International Arts Festival. Massive and Microscopic Sense Making in the time of COVID

Throughout 2020 I have been working with Artists and Scholars from all over the globe,

collaborating on small Ethnographic projects, to produce a range of poetic, visual and film based work.

The initial theme was created in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic:

Massive & Microscopic Sense Making in the time of COVID.

Circadian Arctic painting processes: Georgia Rose Murray

Circadian conscious and subconscious thought processes are now occupied with processing immediate and remote connections: Constantly comparing and deciphering differences between micro and macro experiences. As an artist my perspective is based on holistically realised observations of global landscapes and my interest in Ethnography has arisen from spending time working alongside scientists in remote research locations.

My work is based on first-hand experiences of natural light and darkness within Arctic landscapes. Processes are guided by seeking out experiences which initiate feeling humbled, levelled; The resulting paintings communicate an awareness of all elements of our universe being inter-connected. As I observe and respond, my perspective is constantly shifting from macro to micro.

Earlier in 2020, propitious timing allowed me to make the journey to Svalbard, where I was based at The Czech Centre for Polar Ecology for a month. From there I journeyed further north to spend eight days working in the Artists Cabin in Ny Alesund, the most northern research community on Earth.

From mid-February to mid-March I witnessed Arctic sunrise for the first time; A mind-blowing time of observing the growing light whilst navigating across the sea ice, through deep snow and drawing outside, in rapid one minute stints, before sheltering my hands from -26 C wind.

Absorbing the bewitching and extreme environment at the top of Earth, processing it all and responding with paint was challenging: The paper instantly became crusted with ice sheets. Gazing out at the vast Polar space, feeling the air forming crystals all over my body, I was painting the landscape whilst simultaneously, similar landscapes were forming on the surface of my paintings. Captivated by the immense clarity of the environment, my role was to exist as a vessel and communicate the entirety of the experience; Imitating the whole situation on a microscopic scale.

PAINTING 2023

GEORGIA ROSE MURRAY