Rhythms of the Earth _{by Alessia Belsito-Riera}

Transforming Page Galleries into a jungle until the 22^nd of March, Rosa Allison’s exhibition FLYING DREAMS evokes the decadent entanglements of botanical bodies. The collection was inspired by the Kiwi painter’s recent journey to South America and plays sensually with colour and form.

“I made the preparatory paintings in watercolours while I was backpacking through Central America,” Allison says. “As you will tell, I was influenced by the unrestricted colour palette in places such as markets and religious shrines and in textile design. It was also inspiring to learn about the spiritual meanings of trees such as the sacred árbol de tule – a giant Montezuma Cypress.”

FLYING DREAMS offers insight into plant life’s potential to unlock new understandings of embodiment. The floral and fungal forms flirt with humanoid shapes and other instruments of earthly pleasure but never completely conform with anthropocentric logic.  

“I like that the intelligence of plants completely blows apart the idea that humans rule the Earth. Plants have an intelligence that we are only just starting to understand,” Allison continues, adding that in a rongoā class she was taught that plants come before us, therefore we must ask permission in karakia before harvest. “This makes sense because we will all be dead in a matter of days if we wipe out all the plants. This understanding inspires me to paint plants as powerful and spiritual beings.”

FLYING DREAMS celebrates the release of suppressed energies and frolics through the interconnectedness of a delicately balanced world.