Nature and landscape art has evolved dramatically over centuries much like the landscape
of our world. Initially unacknowledged as a genre, landscape art has become a major theme
for many artists over centuries. Artists have focused on natural scenery or elements from
nature as subject matter in their artworks to represent not only its obvious beauty, but also
to illustrate an idea, tell a story or conceptualize a metaphor. Over the years, this subject
has seen wide range of interpretation and played a role in showcasing ideas and
perspectives of the times gone by.
We are keen to understand and visually document how contemporary artists are
interpreting nature and landscape in the contemporary times. Not only are artists providing
a realistic representation of flora and fauna but are using this subject more and more as a
metaphor. In an ever-shrinking natural world where human activities are affecting the
environment so profoundly, it is inevitable that contemporary art sees landscape as a valid
and rich area of subject matter to help us live in harmony with the natural world. It binds us
to our past, roots us in the present but is needed for our future as it becomes an intimate
part of our human psyche. Nature and landscapes almost serve as a metaphor for our
collective human experience.