Lauren Kolyn

There is a small patch of wildness

that grows alongside a retired train track near the ports.

Curiously I turn my bike around

and park it up against the fence.

Bewildered, as I often am

longing for a familiar place.

The noise of the city begins to dissipate

as I tune into the buzzing of bees.

In the stillness of the city’s wild

exists a deep comfort within the womb of the overgrowth

Bewildered is a series of photographs that explores notions of wonder, discovery and the poetic beauty of nature found within an urban environment. Often, natural and urban environments are considered distinct and separate places, where the nature is found outside the city. We leave one to get closer to the other, seeking out a relationship with a different part of ourselves. In the constant movement of the city there is limited time to get lost and discover anew. Does this inhibit our ability to connect to the natural world? Can one achieve a similar sense of awe and connection to nature within an urban context? As a city dweller and artist, answering these questions are both pivotal points of intrigue and challenge in my work.

The photographs were taken in a small patch of wild meadow growing in an old industrial area along Toronto’s lakeshore. The encounter with this landscape was random and slightly disorienting because of its juxtaposition to the location. Immediately drawing me into an alternate world, the foliage takes the role of dancers moving throughout the light and shadows. As I observed their movements, I felt myself begin to separate from the heartbeat of the city, momentarily losing a sense of time and place. Shedding light onto the possibility of the coexistence of two different worlds.

The observer is invited into this dynamic landscape to share in the sense of bewilderment and ease I felt in my discovery. The images draw attention to the presence of the natural world within seemingly unnatural places and encourages the power of stillness and observation of our surroundings in daily life.

EXHIBITION DATES

Saturday, March 30th - Sunday May 5th 2019

Opening Night Reception | Thursday, April 4th, 6 -9pm