Banksia Seeds (3 States)

Kristina Chan’s practice explores narrative and place, evoking a felt history through printmaking, alternative photography, and sculpture. Each work tells a story, exploring our relationship with place, constructed through personal and collective experience. 'Bankia Seeds' is inspired by a recent residency in Australia. Undertaken from October – December 2019 during the height of the bushfire season in New South Wales, Chan witnessed the land’s capacity for regrowth, renewal and survival in the face of natural disaster, invasive species and human impact. This is a sculpture in three states: the seed before, during and after the fire, showing the resilience and strength of nature. Banksias are pyrophtes, which means they have evolved to germinate in fire, requiring it to release their seeds, leading them to not only survive but thrive despite these devastating bushfires. Upon returning to the UK and the following months of lockdown, these works took on a greater meaning. Cast in bronze, they began to represent the strength, resilience, and perseverance we find within ourselves.