Stefanie Gogan is an artist who is continuously inspired by how her personal experience with nature changes. Rejecting traditional mentalities of ‘landscape as nature’, Gogan replaces it with the notion of ‘nature as environment’.
Works such as the one presented at this year’s Art Gems seek to redefine landscape painting through the depiction of a fragmented, complex view of how we relate to the world around us. With a background in landscaping, Gogan began to investigate an ever-growing comprehension of the natural world, and her place within it.
According to the artist, “I break down romantic perceptions of nature through reflecting upon my experience in the contemporary world and examining it in relation to old definitions of landscape and environment.” Gogan’s practice combines digital collage methods with personal and found images from hikes, gardens and greenhouses. The paintings ultimately aim to reduce the physical and psychological barriers that exist between people and their environment.