Nalani Montague

* De oorspronkelijke Engelse versie van deze tekst is wegens artistieke overwegingen behouden.

A Good Day to Slow Down and Notice Nature—or its Absence

As cities continue to expand, natural environments are increasingly displaced, leading to the gradual loss of ecosystems. This creates a growing distance between people and the natural world. Spaces become uniform, controlled, and artificial, replacing the irregularity and richness found in nature. As daily life becomes increasingly fast-paced, moments of observation and sensory awareness are often overlooked, reducing opportunities to feel connected to the environments we move through.

On a good day, I like walking through a forest and noticing the sounds and sensations of my surroundings. I enjoy the sun on my face, a light breeze on my arms, and observing a bug making its way across a stick. A good day means I have experienced the world around me and I have taken the time to remember the small moments, the big ones, and everything in between. These quiet observations often influence the way I approach texture, pattern, and material within my work.

Traces of Nature approaches the textures and patterns found in nature and reinterprets them into textiles. By translating natural surfaces into material outcomes, the project explores how organic structures can be reimagined within human-made environments. Through screen printing and textile experimentation, natural textures are abstracted and layered to encourage a slower and more tactile interaction with interior spaces. Traces of Nature aims to reinstate the connection people once had with nature, reintroducing its essence into spaces where it has gradually been lost. Through this process, the project creates a dialogue between the natural and the artificial, inviting a renewed awareness of texture, pattern, and presence.