This is Not Soil

This is Not Soil was presented at the Art in the Open event in Philadelphia Pa, May 2016. The project was to make soil: loads, heaps, hills of soil. This “soil” ironically appears very realistic, but is actually a prop. My fairly minimalist project physically embodies large pile of materials; sawdust, buckets of water and paint canisters. Tarps were laid on the ground so the “soil” can dry in the sun during the day. Spectators and passers-by were welcome to fill a small commemorative This is Not Soil bag with some of the “soil” as a souvenir from the Art in the Open 2016 Event

​This is Not Soil is a sculptural trompe l’oeil, but not merely for the desire of trickery. I am interested in man-made representations of nature, and I am searching for the meaning, symbolism and metaphor therein. Of course, Magritte’s The Treachery of Images is the initial inspiration for this 3-dimensional image of “soil,” from which I then look to nature for a fabricated reality. I am fascinated with the theatricality of nature and enjoy a playful camaraderie with imitation and impersonation in my work.