A symbiotic relationship exists between humans and nature. Living in the cities and submerged in technology we can easily forget this. Nature is a healing force, one that when paired with stewardship can have a transformative effect on our lives. Orchard St. knows this all too well. With outposts in Paddington, Bondi, Bronte and Manly the Sydney wellness institution has become an essential source of plant medicine for almost a decade.
As Orchard St. approaches its 10 year anniversary, its founder and CEO Kirsten Shanks is leaning into the brand's ethos, 'We Are Nature' by calling on the creative minds of multidisciplinary art duo Prue Stent and Honey Long. Together, they have collaborated on a series of nine photographs as well as moving image that evokes our intimate connection with Mother Earth.
Speaking on the collaboration, Kirsten Shanks said, "I’ve long admired the work of Honey and Prue, with its transportive capacity to broaden our perspective of our place in nature, and awaken a deep sense of appreciation for this landscape".
"I approached Honey and Prue with the brief to convey the underlying ‘We are Nature’ ethos behind all we do; that plant medicine has the potential to act as a conduit to connect us with reverence to nature, and serve as a daily reminder that we are in fact, nature ourselves," Shanks continued.
The images themselves are exemplary of what Long and Stent do best. Shot on Australian soil, the works merge photography and sculpture, with the human form interlaced with the elements. When reflecting on the intent behind their work together, Honey Long and Prue Stent said, "Responding to the Orchard St. concept, ‘We are Nature’ our aim with the photographs was to communicate the healing effect natural environments have on the body. Looking at the interplay between skin, light, water and different textures, we wanted to create something soothing for the eye".
And they did. We Are Nature acts as both a salve and a spring of energy. Find the series from Prue Stent and Honey Long as commissioned by Kirsten Shanks across the Orchard St. stores from April 8.
