developing dialogues
between human and more-than-human footprints.
Vanessa Lustig’s work flows between psychological, cultural, and natural contexts and situations, investigating themes of human identity & culture not as separate from nature, but as part of nature. Her artistic practice is centered on the awareness of living in a posthuman age where experience, agency, understanding, knowledge production, and existence itself are both shared and generated with the more-than-human, and an understanding that Anthropocentrism's central idea that we are superior to other entities has been proven incorrect, and we are learning that we can only be (exist) not because we relate to Others (other humans), but because we relate to Others (multi-entity).
Focusing on the entanglements of the human footprint with the more-than-human entities we are surrounded by, her resulting works explore the subtleties of emotions, intuition, and non-verbal experiences that are too often overlooked in the actions of our everyday human footprints: silence, pauses, delicate beginnings of introspection, sparks of awareness.
These are her "new landscapes"- the reintegration of these alienated aspects of what is human and what a culture stepping into posthumanism may look like- back into a natural context from which they both originate, where separation is no longer necessary, and cohabitation is essential.
This persistent eco-psycho-cultural influence in her works holds a parallel to a lifetime of complete world immersion that has left her with a mindful awareness of evolving natural & cultural landscapes and the ongoing human struggle to differentiate ourselves, to claim independence from all.
Through her works, Vanessa Lustig highlights the smaller, subtle movements of natural, cultural, and human worlds, creating works that capture these delicate yet enduring fragilities by using both delicate & sturdy materials, technologically advanced techniques & craft techniques that result in minimal, delicate, quiet, yet immersive works.
Paysages pour des insectes
Paysage 1
Digital archival photo print on acid-free archival paper
2015-2023
Originally developed in 2015 as a photo series resulting from travels throughout the state of Florida, and the resulting awareness of the importance of insect population in this state, Paysages pour des insectes (Landscapes for insects) is an ode to Arthropoda of the Animal Kingdom, and serves as a metaphor for the evolution of South Florida urbes and culture.
Paysages pour des insectes is currently in transmutation.
Much like arthropods that need to moult when they outgrow their current exoskeleton, Paysages pour des insectes must molt its outgrown exoskeleton, to take its new shape, which involves three-dimensional embroidery interventions using local materials precious metals and lapidary work.
Viewable images are from the original series. New works available August 15th. Sign up for newsletter to receive updates on this and other new works.
