There is Unrest in the Forest; there is trouble in the trees

Rebecca Dagnall’s exhibition There is unrest in the forest; there is trouble in the trees showed expansive photographic works which explored the iconography of evil in the suburban cultural realm. Dagnall’s enchanting images fused together elements of traditional landscape, fantasy poster art, and the dark imagery of heavy metal culture. Referencing the gothic landscape, this body of work uncovered more than the perceived evils of suburban culture, the work drew the audience into an uneasy yet beautifully enticing space. Dagnall’s technically intricate works brought together traditions of high and low culture bringing into question the divide that exists between culture and class.

The artist says of her own work, “My inspiration for creating work about suburbia comes from my experience of having grown up in the suburbs of Perth, WA. This personal experience of Australian suburbia clashes with much of the popular critique around the topic. For the most part, suburbia it has been portrayed as being an isolated and isolating place, void of cultural significance, with no sense of community and as a Mecca for bad taste. Experimenting with the iconography of Metal culture gave me a way of exploring what exists as cliché to some and art to others. I am interested in where this seeming opposition intersects and can be crossed. In my work, I flesh out the grey areas, steering away from cultural elitism.”