For many of us, lockdown has provided exceptional motivation to get out and exercise in the fresh air, bringing with it a new appreciation for nature. As the UK opens up once more, a new solo exhibition by British artist Orlanda Broom in London seems perfectly timed.
Rewild, at Grove Square Galleries, features a new series of paintings created over the last 12 months. These colourful, buoyant works encapsulate the artist's signature lush and saturated style.
Working on various surfaces – including wood panel and, for the first time on large scale works, aluminium – Broom's style combines abstract, iridescent forms with more figurative elements.
Inspired by botanical guides and photographs of her past travels, the plants here are rendered with a fluorescent, almost artificial palette, allowing them to assume anthropomorphic qualities and behaviours.
"This body of work spans a difficult period during the pandemic," says Broom, "and I've turned towards the positive and more jubilant aspects of my painting. The connection to nature and aspects of escapism has always been a theme, but it's particularly pertinent now as people's appreciation of being outdoors has grown; there's a more vested interest in environmental issues.
"Currently, when we think about the environment, it's generally about loss, damage or negative change. I'd like my enthusiasm and love of nature to come through and engage people to also think about what the future holds... can our planet rewild?'"
Get the best of Creative Boom delivered to your inbox weekly