Nici Bungey takes the concept one step further and chooses to explore the mechanisms that might destroy a place. Rather than focusing on the where in time and space, she unpicks the how. Her chosen mechanic is fire.

To a visual artist operating with sensory perceptions that are spiritual and energetic, fire is a natural choice.

“Looking deep into the fires of my childhood in the forests of Germany, and those we built with our own children, and the fire we have in our home most winter nights, I feel the security and protection of the flames. The warmth it provides, physically and spiritually. I come closer to the physical world each time I light a fire. As an artist I’m aware of the tones and subtle variations of flame, how wood burns at varying rates and intensity. I paint with reflections of light, and light is a fundamental product of fire. The alchemists flame, from base metal to gold, speaks to my creative self. As a sensitive human I feel the energetic release from one physical form to another, the transition of energy from growing trees to fallen wood, from dry chopped firewood to flame to ash”.

Fires can be ceremonial. Holy. Sacred. Fire opens the circle of energy, igniting oxygen and combustible material giving off light, heat, flame, smoke and the burnt remains as ash. Fire and ash are key elements in many religions and spiritual practices. The physics of renewal through fire and ash are found ecologically and this, along with so many elements of the physical world, find their way into the religious and spiritual building blocks of our internal worlds.

In many cultures, sky-reaching flames are paralleled with spirit, God, the pure characteristics of flame tied into renewal, cleansing, sacrifice. These are deeply entwined in our DNA. For as long as we’ve been humans living with wild and controlled fire, we’ve had moments to reflect on life and death.

Fire is an ecological destructive force and a renewer of life. From destruction through burning, ash returns carbon to our circle of life, and life renews. Through art, we sense and imagine. This piece is called ‘Fire, Building blocks’ and is an exploration of growth and renewal, of fire and flame, positioned within the entire cycle of life.

“If I could save one place, it would be the deep artistic space to consider our personal eternal flame, and how fire affects life”.