The Printed Fabulae Naturae Draperies At Central Saint Martins Pay Homage To The Interdependency And Diversity Of Wildlife
Image By Courtesy of Studio Orta
See three large-scale botanical draperies on the face of the Granary Building in the lead up to Earth Day 2023
The Fabulae Naturae draperies have been designed by critically acclaimed British visual artist and UAL Professor Lucy Orta from the Studio Orta duo Lucy + Jorge Orta, as part of her Lost Species project at King’s Cross.
The fabric of the draperies, which have been designed by Lucy + Jorge Orta, is ecologically printed in the UK and will eventually be repurposed into a limited-edition collection of accessories, ensuring that the ephemeral artwork is completely recycled.
As part of Lucy’s 12-month residency, the project has put young people at its heart, promoting a journey of discovery about the diversity of life, plants and animals, both past and present. Through a series of public artworks and community-centred workshops, an otherworldly story of life on Earth has unfolded, gaining insights on how to protect the wildlife that exists today along the way. The series will culminate in a special Earth Day ritual on Saturday 22 April.
The work pays homage to the interdependency and diversity of wildlife, drawing our attention to the significant species loss our planet is facing.
Three 60-foot triptych prints act as a visual database of species, featuring gigantic images of flora photographed by the artists during their expeditions to the Amazon.
These are intricately collaged together with images of everyday plant and animal species that co-habit an imaginary world. The intertwining of the species represents the symbiotic web of interdependence between living beings and the planet.
The triptych draperies are 12 x 60” each. The fabric will be recycled and reused once the project is complete. Lucy is working with several artisans to produce creative products from the material.
Earth Day 2023 at Central Saint Martins
Lucy's yearlong project concludes in Spring 2023 when the Fabulae Naturae installation will form the backdrop to a live performance and interventions on Earth Day 2023.
UAL Climate Emergency Network will also be coordinating The Green House at the Lethaby Gallery, 25-30 April: an experiment in exploring climate justice, joining different voices and perspectives to get involved in developing socially just responses to the impacts of climate change. We will bring together artists, designers, campaigners, educators and experts from diverse backgrounds to create a shared vocabulary around climate justice, and explore opportunities for taking action and public engagement forward.
Lucy Orta: The Lost Species
Lucy Orta is King’s Cross Artist in Residence 2022-2023, and a research professor at UAL. Lucy has been looking at the history of King’s Cross and expanding her work around the Lost Species project.
In October she published her Lost Species Handbook, which featured stories of the historical animals associated with King’s Cross – from the horses that once pulled the coal at Coal Drops Yard, to the feral cats that kept the mice and rats away from the grain at the Granary Building.
Her project has informed a nature trail, family workshops, and a book and mask making kit that visitors can take home.
