Helen Oakman - Ivy and beech break the rules
21 x 29.7 cm, digital print, 2019
We tend to think of cities as places for people, but they are home to many other species, each with their own unique experience of living in this place which we share. Even the materials our cities are built from have a life story to tell.
Helen took a minute’s silence each day to notice nature in her immediate surroundings, as a way of paying respect and strengthening her sense of connection with the world around her. Taking photographs as a reminder of encounters in each moment.
Helen Oakman
Helen’s practice investigates physical impacts of human activity on the landscape and ways people can live in greater harmony with the natural world. She believes the loss of a sense of connection between people and nature is at the root of environmental destruction, and that art has a role in restoring this. She works in print, photography, mixed media, sculpture and installation. Past projects include a series inspired by the agricultural landscapes of the Great Plains in North America and a site-specific installation addressing deforestation in the Amazon. She’s currently exploring the evolution of the South Wales coalfields. Helen is a climate change and sustainability specialist. She was born in Scotland, raised in Wales and is based in London.