On Gaia’s Skin: a new exhibition on nature’s textural qualities

A celebration of texture and inventive artistry

The private view of On Gaia’s Skin created a perfect opportunity to bring together the participating artists and Shoreditch Modern’s vibrant community of collectors, journalists, creatives and art lovers. The visitors were moved and stimulated by the innovative work of the five showcased artists: Hannah Thomas, Paula Zvane, Lisa-Marie Price, H D Carew and Mimi Zouch.

The curator, Anaïs Masetti, chose to centre the gallery’s last exhibition of the year on an important and topical theme: our natural environments. She explains, “The climate crisis is the biggest threat to our future and that of our children. While most of us understand this, the constant stream of negative news is sadly making us less receptive, almost numb to the importance of nature. On Gaia’s Skin aims to bring a moment of respite and playful contemplation on Earth’s sheer beauty through the eyes of five brilliant artists. By focusing on texture, the show also provides a multi-sensory and immersive experience. My hope is their art will inspire viewers to reconnect with nature and to look closer at the amazing intricacies of our planet.”

Five artists inspired by nature

On Gaia’s Skin presents the work of five female contemporary artists who take inspiration from the natural world. One of the central pieces on show is Hannah Thomas’ large-scale painting Fugue State #5, which offers a visceral experience of forms that fluctuate between flesh, vines and cocoons.

Mimi Zouch channels her fascination for woodlands by creating intricate paper carvings and experimenting with acrylics and pigments. Her abstract works are reminiscent of bark, mushroom gills, moss, and even aerial photos of Earth.

Paula Zvane also has an experimental approach in her practice, as she explores the tactile properties of surprising materials such as kombucha leather, linen, fur and silicon. She achieves deeply intriguing sculptural artworks such as Fur Starfish, a reimagined animal made of aluminium and reclaimed fur.

Meanwhile, H D Carew mainly focuses on one ever-changing subject: the ocean. By carefully applying lines of blues with a palette knife, she creates deeply immersive and contemplative pieces on the interplay of light and water.

The feeling of light and movement is equally present in Lisa-Marie Price’s abstract paintings. Not only do her works evoke a wide range of organic textures – from feathers to birches and fields – they are made entirely from naturally sourced pigments, collected by the artist and her friends.