Lilli Waters

'Disenchantments of the World' is a contemporary exploration of human darkness, desire, and the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures.

An ecological concern finds expression in Lilli Waters’ underwater still life series which references Northern Renaissance paintings in lighting and composition. Her underwater works feature live marine creatures amongst rocks and flowers to evoke other-worldly landscapes with a palpable feeling of space and slowed time. Waters’ representations of luxuriant, yet fragile beauty are a reminder of the imminent loss of whole species and ecosystems as a result of climate change.

At first glance, sumptuous floral blooms decorated with sea creatures and glistening effervescence emerge from velvety darkness. This series of underwater still life works draws inspiration from paintings by the old Dutch masters – images of flowers symbolising beauty, nobility and prosperity and their impermanence. A closer gaze reveals a mash-up: luxe Rembrandt-esque blooms are entwined with g(littering) plastic.

This series also references one of the earliest examples of consumerism and collective mania – the Dutch Tulip fever in the early 1600s. The exotic coloration of the most highly prized tulip during tulpenmanie was caused by a virus that infected the flower, leading to a buying hysteria.