The Biosphere Boundaries

UNDERCURRENTS

Undercurrents portrays the hidden forces that bind our natural world. It draws inspiration from Johan Rockström's concept of Earth's four biosphere boundaries—biomes, biodiversity, freshwater, and nutrients—which interdepend to sustain all life. Through art, we reveal this intricate web of connectivity by exploring universal elements of life: veins, color, habitats, and water’s essential role.

BIOMES

This painting expresses the interconnectedness of Earth's biomes and their underlying forces. Just as Undercurrents explores the hidden, unseen connections between natural systems, this painting brings together the five most prominent biomes—polar, forest, grassland, and aquatic into a unified composition.

Landscape painting with river, colorful fish, mountains, and grazing animals

A towering snowy mountain peak represents the polar biome, while the graceful salmon swimming in the river symbolize the delicate balance and interconnectedness of freshwater ecosystems. The flowing river itself acts as a visual thread, linking the various biomes, just as Undercurrents aims to uncover the invisible “undercurrents” that weave life together.

Painting of salmon swimming underwater with rocks and reflections, and two deer on a rocky shore in the background.

Mountain landscape painting featuring a snow-capped peak, grazing yaks on green pastures, and trees, under a blue sky with clouds.

Painting of a mountainous landscape with a river

The artwork incorporates natural elements like water, plants, and animals to symbolize the universal forces that sustain life. By blending these elements, it illustrates how biomes, biodiversity, freshwater, and nutrients work together to maintain ecological balance. The piece visually conveys that ecosystem boundaries are fluid and interconnected, reflecting the "undercurrents" linking all living things.

FRESHWATER

Freshwater ecosystems are the lifeblood of our planet, channeling vital water through rivers, lakes, and wetlands to sustain diverse biomes. They reflect the interconnected forces of nature, linking biodiversity, nutrients, and habitats in a delicate balance, as emphasized by Johan Rockström’s freshwater boundary.

Painting of a majestic waterfall with a woolly mammoth and wolves on rocky terrain.

The shadowy cave, partially obscured by mist and light, symbolizes the unseen or overlooked layers of existence, mirroring Undercurrents’ aim to reveal the deeper, less visible aspects of nature’s connectivity.

The presence of wildlife, specifically the elephant and the wolf with its cub, reflects the biodiversity boundary, highlighting how different species coexist within shared ecosystems. The elephant playfully interacting with water represents nature’s resilience and harmony, while the wolf’s protective stance alludes to the instinctive, nurturing aspects of life. This contrast between movement and stillness, playfulness and guardianship, aligns with our exploration of how natural forces shape and influence one another.

Painting of a large cascading waterfall with an elephant standing on the right and two wolves on the left.

Painting of an elephant and wolves at a waterfall.

Framed painting of a waterfall scene with a mammoth and wolves.

Moreover, the cave’s darkness juxtaposed with cascading light and mist serves as a metaphor for the hidden forces at play in nature—forces uncovered through art. As part of this project, the painting does not focus solely on the visible surface of the world but instead delves into the relationships and energies that sustain it. Through its interplay of elements, this artwork becomes a direct visual extension of Undercurrents’ mission: to use art as a means of unveiling and celebrating the interconnected, often unnoticed rhythms of life on Earth.

NUTRIENTS

The Nutrients painting explores nature’s harmony, highlighting the interdependence of diverse ecosystems and life forms. A silk cotton tree, revered for its cultural and ecological significance, symbolizes unity, growth, and ancestral wisdom. Its branches, adorned with fruits from across the globe, depict nutrient exchange among ecosystems, reflecting the hidden forces that connect all life.

Colorful illustration of a large tree with various animals and fruits; includes a monkey, sloth, and jaguar on the branches, and fruits like bananas, pineapples, and grapes among the roots.

By depicting fruits from all around the world growing harmoniously on a single tree, the painting visualizes a world without boundaries—where biodiversity and ecosystems merge in a seamless, interwoven existence.

The presence of diverse animals—such as the tiger, monkey, and python—further reinforces the theme of biodiversity, showcasing the delicate balance between species that inhabit a shared environment. Their relaxed, harmonious presence within the tree’s branches suggests a world where nature thrives when left undisturbed, mirroring the way our ancestors coexisted with their surroundings—a concept this project seeks to honour through art.

Painting of a large, detailed tree with thick roots and branches, featuring various animals like a monkey, an owl, and a leopard sitting among the foliage. The tree is shown with intricate bark and leaves against a blue sky background.

Painting of a gibbon hanging from a tree branch and a squirrel on a branch nearby, with a background of leaves and sky.

Colorful painting of a large tree with animals and fruit on display against a white brick wall.

Additionally, the roots cradling an abundance of fruit serve as a metaphor for nature’s generosity and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of preserving ecosystems to ensure continued abundance. This resonates with an aim to reawaken appreciation for the natural world, encouraging a shift from exploitation to stewardship.

Ultimately, this painting is a vivid representation of Undercurrents’ mission: to use art as a medium to unveil the hidden yet vital forces that sustain life. By presenting a tree that transcends geographical and ecological limits, the artwork challenges the viewer to rethink the way we perceive connectivity, unity, and our role in nurturing the planet.

BIODIVERSITY

This surreal painting perfectly embodies the core themes of the Undercurrents project by dissolving the boundaries between land and sea, reality and imagination. By placing a grizzly bear on the seabed, the artwork challenges conventional ecosystems, highlighting the hidden interconnections within Earth’s Biosphere.

Surreal artwork featuring a bear underwater with jellyfish and penguins, sitting on volcanic rocks.

The juxtaposition of a terrestrial mammal with marine life suggests that nature's forces operate beyond the visible, reinforcing the project's goal of uncovering the unseen forces that shape our world.

The bear’s interaction with molten lava symbolizes the Earth's geological and elemental forces, which often remain unnoticed beneath the surface yet play a crucial role in shaping life. This aligns with Undercurrents’ exploration of how seemingly separate systems—such as the deep ocean and volcanic activity—are intrinsically linked, those subconscious currents beneath human awareness.

Abstract painting with bold, colorful brush strokes and a palette on the side.

Painting featuring a bear with a jellyfish above it, surrounded by butterflies and underwater scenery; palette with various paint colors on the side.

Surreal painting of a bear underwater surrounded by jellyfish and marine life, with lava flows in the background.

Above, the glowing jellyfish casts an ethereal, translucent light, transforming the seascape into a dreamlike realm. The blue tangs and diving penguins, usually confined to different regions, coexist in this surreal setting, reinforcing the idea that biodiversity transcends borders in ways we may not immediately recognize. This reflects Undercurrents’ artistic methodology—using surreal compositions to illustrate the interconnected, often overlooked relationships in nature.

Ultimately, this painting acts as a visual metaphor for the hidden forces of life, much like the project itself. It invites the viewer to reconsider their perception of ecosystems, urging them to look beyond surface-level divisions and appreciate the deep, often mystical connections that sustain our planet.

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