The interaction of visual art, rurex, & human emotions.

Rurex: a portmanteau of "rural" and "exploration," referring to the practice of exploring abandoned locations in non-urban areas and vlogging the adventure - similar to urban exploration (urbex) vlogs, but in the countryside.

Investigating and participating in the Internet phenomenon of rurex (or urbex) has significant meaning for me. Firstly, these places are more fascinating than any modern building to me because of the history of human interactions held within the locations, the walls (if only.. they could talk), and even the way people interact with them today.
They hold a symbolic meaning to me because I can relate to these inanimate objects in the way they have been left alone or abandoned by the people who built and dwelled within them. Occasionally, people return to these places to see what’s going on, often times, strangers. These built up locations or buildings, despite not being conscious in the same way humans and animals are, form new “relationships” with people from the past and present. They attract care outside of the immediate circle of people who constructed and once cared for them.

The act of going to a location and painting with soil (ground rocks, acrylic medium and water) directly onto canvas, has yet to be configured in terms of what I’m trying to say with it. I’m asking questions such as, is it symbolic? Does it add layers of meaning? Is it simply a need to do interact with these places that I find compelling? I do know that I've always enjoyed travelling, exploring and creating on the move. It helps me feel connected to the world, less depressed to be honest, and keeps my energy moving. On a practical level, it challenges me to consider what depth I want to learn how to use a camera and edit videos. Sometimes a quick shoot and edit on my phone seems to suffice.

I am inspired by particular content creators and ‘everyday’ (where it’s not their job) social media users who upload short form videos. This doesn’t mean I want to create ‘content’, but another element of what I’m creating with my video work is considering the overlaps between documentation of fine art and social media content creation that leans towards humour, wit and entertainment. As a maker of sound, um, a musician, I am also interested in sounds interacting with my visual work. I’m currently using a paid version of CapCut to edit my videos (and use the copyright free sounds).

Lastly, I enjoy visiting these rurex spaces because there is a sense of peace around them. Similar to entirely natural environments. Void of voices, noises and human presence, but you can still get a sense that people are nearby, which to be honest, is comforting. I’m definitely not chasing an “apocalyptic theme”, I don’t want to feel as if everyone is dissolved and I’m the only one left on the face of the Earth. I’m drawing parallels between what these spaces can represent and the metaphors they present to help me process events in my personal life. My personal life feeds into my art processes in one way or another and in a sense, you cannot label your art and your personal life as separate things.