A Fragile Existence
9 Nov 2019
1/3 Vickers Street
Parap
“A Fragile Existence addresses the precarious state of our natural world. Armed with the belief that all living things are connected by the habitat that we share, the work aims to capture this precious wilderness, documenting its riches of colour, shape, spirit and mood. It pays homage to the fertile habitats that are being threatened daily which, in turn, threatens mankind’s own existence.”
Sonia Martignon’s art practice is based in and inspired by the Northern Territory. Her imagery is driven by an intense curiosity with nature, landscape and mythology and her distinctive colour palette echoes the hues found in this unique landscape. Sonia works on wood and records ideas using the mediums of acrylic, graphite and pyrography. The pieces are often cut-out forms, a device developed to emphasise shadows, space and place. Her work explores the relationship between positive and negative, both visually and conceptually, in order to understand the beauty found when nature and mankind are in a state of balance.
In her recent work, Sonia reveals the unique tropical landscape of the Douglas River Esplanade, 200km south of Darwin as well as scenes from Litchfield National Park, Rapid Creek Reserve and the Cox Peninsular. Sonia’s intricate landscapes and cut-out wall sculptures document an Arcadian paradise, remote, almost untouched locations she has been visiting since she was a child.
Her art demonstrates a belief that mankind has much to learn from nature, posing the question: what are we missing that is right in front of us, hidden in plain sight? In some of her work she introduces the mythological Nymph, a creature described by multiple cultures as the caretaker of the natural world. The re-imagined Nymph introduces a human scale into the landscape and creates a narrative to explore the notion of human co-existence with nature. Sonia holds a degree in Fine Art and has participated in over 20 group and curated shows. She is a qualified teacher and has worked as an arts educator for the last ten years, giving up a permanent teaching position in 2019 to concentrate on a full-time arts practice. September 2018 saw Sonia have her first solo exhibition in Melbourne, followed in March 2019 with a solo show at The Other Art Fair in Sydney and now, 6 months later, she will have her first solo exhibition in her hometown of Darwin.
– SONIA MARTIGNON, 2019
IMAGES: A Fragile Existence exhibition at Salon Project Space, Parap 2019.
