“Natural Systems Domination.” tres birds workshop. n.p. 2011 July. Web. 5 July 2014. http://tresbirds.com/NATURAL-SYSTEMS-DOMINATION
tres birds workshop’s Natural Systems Domination is an art installation that uses organic materials to call attention to society’s separation from nature. Located in Denver, Colorado, the installation uses grass, moss, and pieces of shrubs to cover furniture used in daily life i.e. work desks, chairs, and tables. The intention behind this piece is to motivate people to interact and respond to nature on a daily basis. The art group states that “the further we stray from connections with nature, the more alien we become.” The group also states that the organic material used in their artwork is living and is recycled after use. I like how stark this piece is in comparison to its urban, concrete surroundings and how familiar pieces of furniture are transformed into something striking and somewhat unsettling. Although the installation is beautiful, it also reminds me of a post-apocalyptic world where nature isn’t manicured and dominates the landscape. I think the dystopian feeling of this piece works well with the idea of connecting to nature and the importance of nature in a person’s daily life, it almost seems as if it’s both a threat and a warning simultaneously (either connect to nature or our world will become something terrible). I also relate this piece to the idea of nature holding an incredible amount of power in comparison to a human population and the reality of nature not being easily controlled. This piece is a great expression of both the beauty of natural systems as well as its potential to be destructive if ignored.
