Following the series Me as a Tree, which was inspired by iconic Afrikaans writer Dalene Matthee’s Toorbos, the character attempting to experience what it feels like to be a tree gradually evolved into something reminiscent of Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son. Fourie enjoys how these connections naturally emerge in her work. The work could be understood as an embodiment of her complex relationship with the natural world - as an organism, a human being, and perhaps, more specifically, an Afrikaner. Afrikaners have historically liked to think of themselves as “plat op die aarde” (down to earth) - literally, flat on the ground. Ironically, they are not immune to the seduction of the promises of excess and “abundance” made by extractivist systems. Self-appointed representatives of the culture run towards gilded palaces that tempt them with false promises of exclusive utopia, overlooking their resemblance to the empires some of their ancestors fled. They insist on calling themselves “Western”, for some reason. The work was made using charcoal from a burnt tree and soil found within the Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve. Some of the oldest rocks and earliest signs of human cultural practices are found here. Fourie likes to think of it as Paradise. In the context of this exhibition, the resemblance to Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son takes on another significance. Saturn* becomes a potent metaphor for a horribly destructive fear of relinquishing power. Fourie is interested in how this connection evolved from a work concerned with her tentative public embrace of her Afrikaner identity (shyly playing the tree on stage) to becoming such an evocative metaphore for her anxieties surrounding inheritance, the loss of power, violence and the survival of nature. The work could be an embodiment of my complex relationship with the Natural world, as an Organism, a Human and perhaps specifically, an Afrikaner. We historically like to think of ourselves as "plat op die aarde" (down to earth). Literally, flat on the ground. Ironically, we are not immune to the seduction of the promises of excess and "abundance" made by extractivist systems. Self appointed representatives of our culture, run to the gilded palaces that tempt us with false promises of exclusive utopia. We overlook their resemblance to the empires some of our ancestors fled from. They insist we call ourselves "Western", for some reason. The piece was made with charcoal from ‘n burnt tree and soil found within the Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve. Some of the oldest rocks and first signs of human cultural practices are found here. I like to think of it as Paradise. *"described as a god of time, generation, dissolution, abundance, wealth, agriculture, periodic renewal and liberation" (Wikipedia)