Presented in OBORO’s small gallery, the monumental yet intimate project Tiburón deals with the great white shark, in danger of extinction due to human impact. This work seeks to provoke ways of thinking about our values and fears, and their underlying reasons. The artist’s intention is not to romanticize or demonize this animal, but rather to emphasize the uniqueness, as well as the primeval and mystifying beauty of this rare species.
For over 25 years, Anne Ashton’s art practice has explored the interdependence of natural phenomena, creatures and cycles. Many of her subjects (tornadoes, spiders, skeletons) reveal a profound affection for things that are considered dangerous or lacking inherent beauty. In spite of their apparent simplicity, the resulting paintings display an array of formal, scientific and cultural references, including Surrealism, Luminism, cosmology, music, folklore and myth.
Through her art, she attempts to evoke the spectator’s own sense of connection—with the artwork and art in general, but especially with the natural world that surrounds us and to which we belong. By showing the great beauty and vulnerability of nature—and even of elements that repel and frighten us—her practice approaches more socially engaged art, especially in the current global context.