Art / Emotional Landscapes I, Jenny Adams, Julie Delves, Eva van Gorsel and Delene White. At ANCA Gallery, Dickson, until August 4. Reviewed by BRIAN ROPE.

This visual art exhibition at the ANCA Gallery examines the emotional connections that humans have with the natural world.

It makes observations about the nuanced and intricate interaction between the natural world and humankind. It looks at how humans affect the climate and the earth, but it also maintains optimism that appreciating nature’s marvels makes us feel a part of it and inspires us to take constructive action.

Through this investigation, the show hopes to spark reflection, foster empathy, and motivate viewers to dedicate themselves to the pursuit of a peaceful and long-lasting cohabitation with the natural world.

The participating artists work with various mediums. Jenny Adams and Julie Delves paint with acrylic. Delene White uses oils, found objects, and fibreglass & silicone. I enjoyed all their works very much, particularly White’s installation The bigger picture, with its lightweight wall marching ants.

However, I will concentrate here on the photography of Eva van Gorsel – since it is the art form in which I work myself and, so, am best qualified to discuss. This artist’s 17 pieces are archival pigment prints. The 17 works form a series created by van Gorsel for this exhibition. They are all of a high standard.

Watching Out explores the fact that human development and the pursuit of food security have been intertwined throughout history. The artist notes that deforestation for cultivation disrupts ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and climate change. She reminds us that humanity needs to watch over the landscapes and ecosystems we depend on for survival, making concerted efforts toward environmentally friendly and socially responsible land use practices.

In that piece, two or more images have been combined into a beautifully blended composite showing something of the interactions between humans and a rural landscape. So there is a human looking out over the landscape, plus a section of fencing and parts of a building constructed by humans.

The same approach has been taken with most of the artist’s other works, but the messages are diverse. There are pieces about how engaging with natural environments has been linked to improved mental health. Others tell us to stop messing with the environment. One incorporating a drawing of Canberra’s central national capital area and two of the native animals seen in the city is all about the need for urban planning that achieves sustainable developments.

Another titled Endemophilia is about the particular love manifest in the people of a place that is special to them. It shows us the type of water and forest environment where the artist feels a deep sense of belonging.

This exhibition most successfully does what it set out to do.