Good Nature Artists | MOODBOARD

Discover the story behind our curation of nature-inspired artworks as we meet the artists who created them.

Words: Chekii Harling

This year, at Selfridges we’re looking to the healing powers of nature and escapism with Good Nature, inviting you to explore positive ideas and new routes to pleasure, rooted in the wonders of nature. Being stuck inside has instilled in us a newfound appreciation for the great outdoors – these days, we savour everything from the chatter of a morning’s birdsong to the dainty silhouettes of tree branches cast in the shadow of a bright orange sunset. Nature never fails to provide a sense of comforting familiarity (and mood-boosting headspace) in a world that feels in constant flux.

To celebrate the launch of our Good Nature theme at Selfridges, we curated a series of artworks from creatives inspired by the natural world. Here we meet four of the visual artists who created specially commissioned pieces for the theme, discovering how the great outdoors inspires them and the artistic processes they used to bring their immersive depictions of nature to life.

Look out for their artworks across our stores and at selfridges.com throughout the year.

Discover Good Nature

'The Pleasure Garden' by Maison de Sable / Chair by Ian Felton Studio

Meet the founder: Charlotte Taylor

Over the past few years, illustrator Charlotte Taylor has been building Maison de Sable, a creative studio that specialises in designing three-dimensional worlds that fuse reality and fiction. “Maison de Sable began very organically; I started working with a couple of 3D artists on personal collaborations, and then, suddenly, there was a demand for the sort of work we were crafting together. This collaborative 3D medium is another output for similar concepts I previously explored through illustration,” explains Charlotte, whose digital universes created under the Maison de Sable umbrella effortlessly blend nature and architecture together. If she were to live in one of the creative studio’s utopian worlds, Charlotte says she would bring her analogue film camera, a music player to set the mood and her cats for an exciting day of exploration.

'The Pleasure Garden' by Maison de Sable. Work-in-progress 3D animation

We wanted the image to have a playful, slightly humorous touch that isn’t obvious at first glance. We see Selfridges as having a similar character and ethos so we wanted to push this playful notion as well as a sense of calm and curiosity.

It’s no mean feat to illustrate the concept of ‘Good Nature’ in one image, but Maison de Sable has nailed it with its dreamy oasis in the depths of a tropical garden, a work specially commissioned by Selfridges to represent our year-long campaign. This animation was created in collaboration with 3D artist Joe Mortell. “I work almost entirely with hand drawings and Joe uses Cinema 4D and Redshift renderer,” explains Charlotte. On closer inspection, it’s easy to get lost in the duo’s animation, and you might even spot some unexpected details, including a sunbathing garden gnome enjoying the vibes.

'Joy Comes in the Morning' by Bahati Simoens. Gouache and acrylic on canvas

Meet the artist: Lut Bahati Simoens

“What makes me unique as an artist is personal storytelling and the way I portray these big, bodied figures with tiny heads,” says Belgian-Congolese artist Bahati Simoens, whose work explores her African heritage. “I want people of colour to feel seen and envision themselves within my pieces. My paintings got a little more political with everything that happened in the world last year, but mostly I want to share joy and love,” says Bahati, who started painting four years ago as a form of self-reflection and meditation. “Growing up in a predominantly white environment made me feel even more connected to my African roots, so I created a fantasy world for myself in a way,” says the artist, who grew up in Burundi, Africa before moving to Belgium at the age of 17.

Bahati’s painting ‘Joy Comes in The Morning’, hand-picked by Selfridges for our ‘Good Nature’ campaign, depicts two cuddling figures amongst a tropical landscape. “They’re at a garden party on a warm Wednesday evening, most of the guests have already gone home and there’s slow music playing in the background. Why not dance a little longer and embrace each other’s warmth?” Bahati says of the scene, which features tweeting birds in the background. “I hope ‘Joy Comes in The Morning’ makes them daydream, wander and ease their mind,” says Bahati, who’s currently daydreaming of being beside the ocean, watching the calming waves from the shore in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.

Growing up in a predominantly white environment made me feel even more connected to my African roots, so I created a fantasy world for myself in a way.

‘Like a Prayer’ by Sucuk Und Bratwurst

MEET THE ARTISTS: The Sucuk Und Bratwurst collective

This Berlin-based, five-piece art collective was born out of teenage creativity, with four of its members creating photo collages together from an early age to feed their online blog. After building a following online, the collective decided to launch Sucuk und Bratwurst in 2014, a creative studio that specialises in creating CGI artworks, with past clients including Dior, adidas and 032c magazine.

For this special Selfridges commission, Sucuk und Bratwurst brought a CGI praying mantis to life. “The mantis is a very special insect – in most cultures it’s a symbol of stillness. Knowing this, we decided to create a praying mantis doing a happy little rainbow dance; we hope the mantis gives people a feeling of lightness and something to smile about,” say the collective. Sucuk und Bratwurst’s artwork, titled ‘Like a Prayer’, was created using a range of digital software, including Blender for the CGI work, Adobe Premiere Pro to cut the frames and Adobe Photoshop for touching up the mantis’s colour palette.

‘Like a Prayer’ by Sucuk Und Bratwurst. Work-in-progress CGI animation

We hope the mantis images give people a feeling of lightness and something to smile about.

When the creative collective aren’t busy designing out-of-this-world CGI artworks, they can be found seeking peace in Berlin’s parks – Friedrichshain and Treptower are their favourite walking spots during the week. “Being in a healthy, natural environment can really take the pressure off, particularly during these crazy times,” say the artists.

MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Min Hyun-Woo

Min Hyun-Woo is a Seoul-based photographer whose visual stories are created just as nature intended. “I didn’t shoot this image with a clear storyline. There was no plan. I just went to the riverside with my friends and played with what I thought was interesting,” says Min, who often photographs his subjects immersed in water, experimenting with reflection. Min grew up in the South Korean village of Samcheok, a quiet area with no supermarket in sight. “When I was young, I couldn’t stand the boredom, so I tried to find something within the mountains to play with,” he says.

‘We are Going to Live this Summer’, which Min shot on a Mamiya RZ67 film camera, features two of his friends that he met through his work. “We went to Yangpyeong-gun, Bukhan river, which was about 20 minutes from home. Here, we sat down, played and talked by the riverside.” To Min, it’s a memory of the summer they lived through, an exploration of nature, people and the passing of time.

It wasn’t until recently that I realised I’d grown up in a very different environment. I wanted to get out and admire the big world.

‘We are Going to Live this Summer’ by Min Hyun-Woo. Photographed on a Mamiya RZ67 film camera

MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Min Hyun-Woo

Min Hyun-Woo is a Seoul-based photographer whose visual stories are created just as nature intended. “I didn’t shoot this image with a clear storyline. There was no plan. I just went to the riverside with my friends and played with what I thought was interesting,” says Min, who often photographs his subjects immersed in water, experimenting with reflection. Min grew up in the South Korean village of Samcheok, a quiet area with no supermarket in sight. “When I was young, I couldn’t stand the boredom, so I tried to find something within the mountains to play with,” he says.

‘We are Going to Live this Summer’, which Min shot on a Mamiya RZ67 film camera, features two of his friends that he met through his work. “We went to Yangpyeong-gun, Bukhan river, which was about 20 minutes from home. Here, we sat down, played and talked by the riverside.” To Min, it’s a memory of the summer they lived through, an exploration of nature, people and the passing of time.

It wasn’t until recently that I realised I’d grown up in a very different environment. I wanted to get out and admire the big world.

EXPLORE THE GOOD NATURE GALLERY

Featuring our specially commissioned pieces and artworks from some of our favourite artists, selected for their compelling depictions of the power of nature.