This is what daydreaming about the joys of luxuriating in wild natural locations looks like
Waiting to Sea You Again, 2021
This new illustration by Precious Opara is her personal contemplation on longing for the natural world during lockdown. The London-based multidisciplinary creative and Nataal art director is interested in exploring the human body, psyche and surrealism and this work, entitled Waiting To Sea You Again, was created to reflect on the theme of romanticism in this issue. Here, Opara explains her vision. “I created this piece in response to my reemphasised connection with natural surroundings as a result of being at home for the most part of 2020. Daily walks around my neighbourhood and local parks became a lifeline to me. The green shades of tree leaves and grass, the blues of the water and the sky became an acute obsession. A lot of the time on my walks, I’d reminisce about places I had been where I was free to be amongst nature: visiting forests, beaches and jungles around
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the world, or simply swimming in lakes with my friends. Being far apart from these happy places meant my fond memories of them ran wild, intensifying my romanticised longing to return. I chose to depict this through a surrealist construction of what appears to be a bedroom, where I spent most of my time (over) thinking. I included elements from my home, such as the living room where photos from my travels are displayed. In addition, layered cuts of images from these destinations construct a sense of comfort and escape. Essentially, this is me daydreaming of places I’ve loved and long to experience again.”
See PRECIOUS OPARA’S t-shirt design for JOYEUX STORE, which raises funds for THE BLACK CURRICULUM, here. See PRECIOUS OPARA’S t-shirt design on JOYEUX STORE here. Visit her Instagram here. (Above) UNTITLED, 2021. (Opposite) WAITING TO SEA YOU AGAIN, 2001.
NATAAL
