TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO ONE

THE OVERALL CAVE-ARTWORK

© Valarummathy Nagamuthu (Spring 2023)

INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTWORK

“Time and tide wait for no one”

The adage: 'Time and tide wait for no one' allude to uncontrollable natural forces. Throughout history, human actions have significantly impacted our environment, often negatively. My Climate Change Cave Art creatively highlights urgent climate change issues, both environmental and humanitarian.

These images depict present-day challenges, showcasing the consequences of our actions and the damage to our environment. My aim isn't just to document these issues but to leverage art for advocacy and awareness, emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent further deterioration.

HOW THE CLIMATE CHANGE CAVE ART WAS MADE

My Climate Change Cave Art is a blend of painting on a “rock” surface as well as on “paper”. It is a paper cave without losing the naturalness and feeling of the rock surface. This long 'cave-artwork' consisting of 5 panels or 'caves'. It is presented separately:

CAVE 1 - THERE IS NO WATER - ONLY THE WATER OF TEARS
CAVE 2 - WHEN WATER KILLS
CAVE 3 - INFERNO COME TO LIFE
CAVE 4 - THE DOOR OF DESPAIR
CAVE 5 - HANDS OF HOPE

(Please note that while the original content contains a wealth of rich, detailed information, some compromise was necessary in the images presented here due to limitations in photography and file compression).

ARTISTIC APPROACH

I employ a Cave Art style to connect with our ancestors and chronicle the present as a witness for future generations.

This Climate Change Cave Art doesn't just record the distressing events I've witnessed; it seeks to raise awareness, promote learning, and change our current path of impending disaster, both in the present and future.

Similar to our forebears who etched on stone and painted on rock surfaces to say, 'I existed' and 'this is what I witnessed,' my Climate Change Cave Art reflects the contemporary struggles, such as severe droughts, floods, and devastating forest fires.

COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY IS OUR HOPE

Our hope and choices depend on our collective society, comprising all of humanity. If we remain silent, inactive, or overwhelmed by despair, thinking the problem is too vast, we're in trouble.

Becoming desensitized to daily news and neglecting to nurture optimism and hope is a dangerous path. It takes courage and determination to act.

We might not see the full results of our efforts, much like our ancestors who painted on rock walls never expected their art to endure for millennia. Perhaps we'll only witness gradual changes, but even that offers hope."

MY INSPIRATION FOR THE IMAGES

In creating the images, I drew inspiration from both the original cave artists and the renowned Dutch etching master, Ru van Rossem (1924-2007). I own a collection of his exceptional works and, alongside a friend, meticulously examined his extensive portfolio, which showcases the pinnacle of his artistic career. Van Rossem's expertise in color, detail, and the ability to provide both intricacy and a comprehensive perspective served as a major influence.

Much like Van Rossem, who recorded his travel experiences not in sketchbooks but in his heart, I fused my impressions of contemporary events into the final expressions on my rock walls.

In my pursuit of authenticity, I ventured into real caves to immerse myself in their atmosphere—observing the interplay of light and darkness, experiencing the profound stillness interrupted only by the sounds of dripping water, and acknowledging the sacredness of the calcite formations. I also emulated the practices of ancient cave artists, tracing the contours of my ebru-rocks. My creative process took place in a dimly lit studio with minimal heating to replicate the conditions they knew.

Panel by panel, within the confines of my "cave," the artwork expanded until my rock wall reached a total length of 4.5 meters upon completion.

FUTURE AUDIENCE

How will future generations interpret my Climate Change Cave Art? Who will explore this cave, illuminate its walls, and uncover this record of the early 21st century?

By then, they will comprehend the profound toll of our insatiable greed on human lives and the environment. Every image in this art is inspired by real events, making dating straightforward. They will explore the walls with torches and contemplate whether humanity heeded the numerous warnings.

Never before has human impact been so extensive and rapid. While Earth has experienced climate fluctuations and changing conditions in the past, no species has caused as profound an impact as we observe today. We're witnessing an ever-expanding, accelerating catastrophe that seems beyond our control, affecting individuals and nations.

HOW THE BACKGROUNDS WERE MADE

The backgrounds are the result of employing Ebru Art, an ancient method utilizing earth pigments suspended on water to generate intricate patterns that are subsequently transferred onto paper.

Every artwork I create shares a common and profound origin. They are the culmination of an arduous, artisanal process that encompasses diligent manual work and employs exclusively natural tools - earth and water. The creation of colors involves the laborious manual crushing of gritty pigments for an extended duration until they form fine dust. Subsequently, they mature for years within glass containers, gradually revealing their unique inner qualities. Each color is fastidiously labeled and dated, and I maintain a thorough understanding of their life cycle, from inception to their moment of application on water.

Upon release onto my trays, these colors gracefully traverse the surface of water, delivered by the brush's delicate hairs. The result is a subtle, ethereal layer of pigment, often referred to as "cloud art," marked by an interplay of forces on the water's surface.

The ultimate outcome of this artistic process remains unpredictable. How these colors will interact and cooperate upon landing is a matter left to the discretion of the universe. Guided by my hands and tendered to the water, these colors take on their distinctive roles and eventually find their resting place on paper, continuing their artistic journey as they evoke emotions and thoughts in the hearts and minds of those who engage with the work. For joy, wonder, amazement and curiosity – for all the incredible limitless possibilities nature brings.

I have been an ebru artist for over a decade and these pieces for my Climate Change Cave Art were made in this very artisanal way – by very slowly accumulating a number of layers of ebru onto paper for each panel. Then I worked on the images using acrylic and pastel crayons.

LINKS TO THE FIVE "CAVES"

Within each segment of my Climate Change Cave Art, I intertwine my reflections in a seemingly spontaneous arrangement. These visuals permeate our digital devices and our thoughts, fostering both recognition and emotional responses. At times, we muster the resolve to face them, while in other moments, we seek temporary respite in ignorance.

The question of structuring my descriptions arises. Inside our hearts, compassion battles anger, hope contends with helplessness, and courage grapples with despair. My Climate Change Cave Art encapsulates these universally relatable sentiments, presenting them in a timeless and elegantly unembellished manner.

CAVE 1 THERE IS NO WATER - ONLY THE WATER OF TEARS

CAVE 2 WHEN WATER KILLS

CAVE 3 INFERNO COME TO LIFE

CAVE 4 THE DOOR OF DESPAIR

CAVE 5 HANDS OF HOPE