TIME LAPSE OF THE 25 DAYS
The original intention of this project was to explore the concept and idea of a relationship between a human (myself) and the natural environment. I chose a place in a forest where tall grass and weeds dominated the landscape and staked out an area with pegs and rope that was 66 inches square. I trimmed the grass and raked the ground, manipulating and putting my mark on the environment. I set up a wildlife Tac camera and took thousands of photos over a 25 day period which I compiled into a time lapse video. My expectation was to watch nature slowly and peacefully reclaim the space and the evidence of my presence would be erased. What I didn’t expect was how unapologetically and violently the environment took the space back. A creature came into the space and tore apart the barriers that I had created. It ripped pegs out and scattered bits of my rope throughout the area. I expected to go through the process of giving back the land that I took but instead the land took itself from me. I found myself not upset by this result, but instead I was more in awe of the literal power and persistence that nature and the plants had towards my invasion. During this time of COVID-19 and isolation, this project has taken on an additional meaning to me. While people are confined to their homes and restricted to online contact, the natural world outside continues on without us. Without our interaction with it and a reduced impact on it, the environment is thriving. It is evident that the environment does not need us but we can’t survive without it.
Megan Beland
Megan Beland has roots from Grande Cache, Alberta and is currently living in Edmonton, Alberta. Megan Beland is a BFA student at the University of Alberta, expected to be completed in fall 2020. As a conceptual and visual artist, Megan specializes in painting and intermedia art practises. Megan’s focus is in performance and creating wearable art, serving as an extension of identity and experience. The physical interaction of the art with the body functions as the performance element, the temporal and temporary portion which only exists in the moment. Megan is also interested in how the passage of time impacts people, as well as how things exist within the context of their environments. Inspiration often comes from myths and fairytales, combining metaphor and reality. Childhood provides Megan with many found objects, also a source of inspiration and meaning, while creating a dialogue that generates an awareness of what is perceived as the “other ” in society. This awareness questions what is considered normal.