Karlien van Rooyen

Says van Rooyen of the inspiration for this work: "'Anarcho-Lichen' was inspired by mnemonic objects from a sojourn in so-called America. The central bow was inspired by the sling-shots we carried for target practice, and the central orb web was designed from the patterns found in a rare species of lichen. Lace lichen (Ramalina menziesii) is a combination of fungi and algae that benefit from each other in a symbiotic relationship. It grows up to a meter long, hanging from bark and twigs in a distinctive net-like pattern that’s unlike any other lichen. It’s an important food source for deer in the Coast Range of California and a source of nest material for birds."

Van Rooyen grew up in the small town of Kommetjie at the foot of a mountain on South Africa’s Cape Point. Affronted by unrelenting ocean storms, the town was also home to a wild and diverse ecosystem. The living space in her house was adorned by an archive of natural objects – whether inherited or collected on hunting and foraging adventures, this trove of objects formed visual imprints on her imagination.

Says van Rooyen of her introduction to clay, “One of my earliest profound memories of childhood is when we went fishing by a dam with my dad and grandfather. My sister and I ran about playing in the shallows and discovered a section of the dam where our tiny feet sank into the silkiest smooth ground. This got my dad’s attention too who also came to play and investigate. With his long arms, he reached into the water and dug out handfuls of clay.

“It might be a bit animist, but to be able to sculpt something from such a basic raw material feels like I can bring another being into the world that comes alive inside the minds of others.”

The Kawaiisu people of California reportedly use it for its magical properties and place it in water to bring rain and in fire to repel thunder or lightning. Currently Lace Lichen is being studied for its medicinal antibacterial properties and to assist humans in monitoring climate change as they are very sensitive to air quality.