Johnny Morant. GROUNDED

About

With this new body of work we see an artist consumed by an evident purpose and need to create.  As we gradually wake up to the reality that our environment is in advanced peril by our own doing, some turn a blind eye, while others are spurred into action. As an artist with rational expectations of the influence of his medium, Morant has chosen to embark on a subtle campaign of awareness.  This endeavour bears the title ‘Grounded’ in reference to the basic understanding of how our actions impact the Earth upon which we live.

 

On Christmas Eve 1968, Apollo 11 astronaut Bill Anders, rounded the dark side of the moon and emerged into the light.  The sight that greeted him would change our relationship with the earth forever. His colour photograph known as ‘Earthrise’ captured the fragility of our planet and sparked a new age of global awareness.  This image allows a glimpse of what each astronaut experiences as they witness our planet from space. They report a shift in perspective as boundaries vanish, conflicts that divide people become less important, and the need to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative.  This enlightened state has been named ‘the overview effect’ and while initially familiar to just a chosen few, with the current rate of technological innovation this understanding will spread through experience and simulation. For now we can only imagine how different the world might be, if for example our world leaders were to experience the overview effect firsthand.

 

‘Grounded’ is a project with the ambition of unearthing our complex relationship with the planet we inhabit and the strained connection between humans and nature.  Some of the larger pieces in this body of work focus on the early pioneers of space exploration as symbols of our ability to meet challenges, unite society and reframe the sense of who we are and what we’re doing.  These modern day heroes find themselves in earthly settings and historical scenes immediately at odds with the reality we are familiar with. To elucidate these narratives we are invited to ponder inconvenient social and ecological issues.

 

In contrast and as respite to these confrontational works, Morant has cultivated an interest in a less conspicuous hallmark of our impact.  Biodiversity is one barometer by which we gauge the effect of habitat loss and human encroachment, this manifests itself in his work through the study of paradoxical and non-native flora.  Each species has an entangled tale to tell, amplified and often vilified by human interaction. Despite condemnation, symbiotic relationships sometimes blossom, urging us to question the nature of our assumptions and see the natural world as integral to our society.

Grounded will be Johnny Morant’s fifth solo exhibition in London and takes place at The Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, London SW1 from 2nd - 6th of December.  Morant is rapidly gaining recognition for his thought provoking, skillfully executed paintings and his work now resides in a growing number of corporate and private collections.  Work can be viewed and reserved prior to the exhibition by appointment.