Tyler Rollins Fine Art is pleased to present Nature / Nurture, a group exhibition bringing together works by nine artists who are among the leading figures in the Southeast Asia region. Humanity’s interconnection with Nature and the environment is an ubiquitous theme in today’s world, seen in everything from the New Age celebration of a mystical bond with the Earth to widespread anxiety about the potentially catastrophic effects of human-induced climate change. The issue is often filtered through the lens of broader socio-political or philosophical concerns. But often this big picture approach, dominated by abstract terms such as “Man” and “Nature,” can seem impersonal, lacking a sense of empathy for the inner world of the individual, whether oneself or other beings. An intense focus on, and engagement with, the wider world can sometimes come at the cost of not looking deeply within the self. At the same time, however, a relentless concentration on oneself without reference to others can result in narcissism and solipsistic thinking. Balance is hard to achieve.

With their works in the current exhibition, the artists – four men and five women – look close to home, to their own intimate relationship with the natural environment around them and other living things with whom they coexist. The motifs they have selected are not abstract or remote but are charged with personal meaning and emotional resonance, embodying a sense of interconnection: flower garlands used in everyday ceremonies; a venerated tree at a nearby temple; the river or volcano outside one’s window; pet dogs who share the studio space. These motifs reflect not only the artists’ own experience of their immediate environment, but also their embeddedness in a wider cultural landscape encompassing spirituality and tradition, as well as politics. Through looking deeply into their own personal connections to the world, they give us insight into our own.