Your Move (2010)

Exchanges between the built and natural environments can be reminiscent of a game, with the two protagonists taking ‘turns’ that manifest as cause and effect. Artificial systems are installed to control ‘wild’ nature, however without maintenance nature responds to disrupt in a reminder of society’s reliance on nature, and the natural environment.

The field of Game Theory is concerned with studying the most effective manner for entities to resolve conflicts within competitive contexts. As I frequently see human/nature interactions in such a light it is appropriate that Your Move was placed within a zone adjacent to new residential development, an area where native vegetation has been cleared. However the disrupted soil in such areas becomes an ideal habitat for opportunistic weeds, a response by nature to an artificial incursion that requires further intervention by society to exert control. Your Move actually uses cleared weeds to create a giant noughts and crosses board, its half completed game highlights that human/nature exchanges are part of an ongoing, somewhat competative, process.

Salvaged vegetation. Dimensions 1200 x 1200 x 65 (h) cm.
'Your Move' by Dean Chatwin'Your Move' by Dean Chatwin