‘I don’t really have a death wish,’ says artist Lori Nix, ‘it just seems that way.’

For the past eight years, Nix explains, her photographs have focused on fictional landscapes after something dire has happened. ‘An aquarium after a flood, a church after a fire, a beauty parlor after…who knows what. Mankind is gone and what remains are vacant fragments of buildings, a few slowly being reclaimed by nature.’

The first step in Nix’s photograph process is hand-building dioramas from wood, plaster, foam board and paint. ‘These spaces are filled with flora, fauna and insects, reclaiming what was theirs before man’s encroachment.’ Nix, who lives in Brooklyn, is showing her Botanic Garden piece in Vancouver at the Bau-Xi Gallery. It is that piece, featured above, that strongly inspired Into The Garden, the show currently running at the Bau-Xi.

Right now, at the South Granville gallery, you will find the works of select artists displayed amidst a gorgeous plant installation. The inside garden was built by the talented GIF flower design team, lead by Suzane Le.

Artwork Left To Right: Tom Burrows Velasco, Tom Burrows Ardeola Idea, Barbara Cole Falling Through Time

This creative Bau-Xi show was curated by Riko Nakasone, Tallie Thompson, and Kyle Besuschko. “The theme of the garden seemed especially appropriate for the time of year,” says Besuschko.

“Each of the curators at Bau-Xi has an active interest in healthy living, gardening and enjoying the bounty of lush greenspace Vancouver has to offer,” Besuschko explains. “From there, we began to think more conceptually about the garden and its relationship to art history. Ideas of an earthly paradise, cultivation and refuge became instrumental in our early days of planning the show. Without taking the theme so literally, we posed a question which was kept top of mind when selecting works: how does one picture the contemporary garden?”

Darlene Cole. Emblem (Held So Close)

This is not the first time that Bau-Xi has partnered with the GIF floral designers. “We had worked previously with Suzanne and her team at Granville Island Florist for the 2016 South Granville ArtWalk and we were amazed with their creativity and professionalism.”

Along with Nix, Into The Garden will feature a diverse range of artists, “with new works or recent series making up the majority of the exhibition,” says Besuschko. These include:

Tracey Tarling. Sea Garden Ceramic Installation

Jeffrey Milstein. NYC 28 Stuyvesant

Bratsa Bonifacho. Baobab 3

“We were very excited to debut the work of abstract painter Kathryn Macnaughton in this,” adds Besuschok, “as she is the newest artist signed to the Bau-Xi roster.”

Kathryn Macnaughton. Seeking Symmetry

Written by Elizabeth Newton
www.creatorsvancouver.com

Header Image: Lori Nix. Botanic Garden 

All artwork images courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery.