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03 February / 10 March 2024
YURIA OKAMURA
Healers
Healers is a series of ceramic tile paintings that portray medicinal plants combined with geometric forms inspired by the symbolic use of geometry in architecture and decoration of diverse religious and mystical traditions. Yuria Okamura references how deities and saints are often depicted with geometric ornamentations, and examines how geometry might aid in portraying plants in a similar light to evoke holistic interpretations of the natural world as seen through the lens of animism and herbalism, traditions in which plants are held sacred. Diverging from her works on paper, these ceramic paintings are inspired by tile paintings used to adorn sacred places in diverse cultures. In this way, Okamura hopes to emulate the contemplative quality of such spaces and invite the viewers to engage in meaningful interpretations of the natural world around us.
The medicinal plants depicted in this exhibition are native to Australia, which Okamura had the privilege of learning about from Bunurong/Scottish herbalist and author Sonia Marie.
Okamura is grateful to Sonia for sharing this knowledge and allowing her to connect with the plants of this land more deeply.
This project is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
