nature

Nature is a theme that is very present in art. We need only think of depictions of animals made in prehistoric times, agricultural scenes on Egyptian frescoes, the landscape paintings produced since the Renaissance or, more recently, works of Land Art, to realize how pervasive the subject is. Nature has long been viewed as a model to be imitated, and observations of it have satisfied a desire for knowledge. Representations of nature therefore reflect the general state of knowledge, so much so that the role artists play in familiarizing people with discoveries is comparable to that which philosophers and researchers in the natural sciences have performed from Antiquity to the present day.

	environment
	diversion

environment

The interest in nature converges with concerns about questions of identity, ecology, politics and aesthetics. The environment constitutes a fertile field of inquiry for artists, who observe it, act upon it, sample it and seek to understand the changes taking place within it. The differences in the treatment of nature that we can observe in such artistic genres as landscape, still life, Land Art illustrate how human beings’ relationship with nature has changed over time, moving gradually from contemplation to interaction. While science, for its part, sometimes leads us to believe in the possibility of complete mastery over nature, the projects presented here attest not so much to a desire for domination as to a limitless curiosity with respect to the natural world.