What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

The passing of seasons and time through the contrast of glaciers on the left (winter) and the blooming trees and melted waterfall on the right (spring). Meanwhile, there is a contrast of death within the roots on the left and the symbols of life in the mother and the people within the wombs of the trees. Overall, it is a depiction of the diversity of life and themes of fertility throughout the painting.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

Firstly, the width of the painting allows it to be seen as a timeline and a broad representation of the changing ecosystem. The colors blue and brown saturate the painting. These colors are often associated with nature and deep earthy, water tones which correlate with the overarching themes of nature that seep into every angle of this painting. The shadows diffuse into the painting which contributes to the sense of continuity. The composition is also centered in the middle which draws the viewers attention and allow the two sides to contrast (e.g. winter and spring, masculinity and femininity)

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

This painting is placed at the very entrance of this exhibit’s section dealing with environmentalism and Changing Landscapes. We believe that this painting is a perfect encapsulation of the cycles of life/nature/seasons that draws the viewers eyes through its long frame. As the viewer makes their way through the long painting, they are taken through the changing of seasons. Furthermore, staring at this painting can push every single viewer to think about their existence and the real meaning of life.

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