SHADOW IN THE BUSH, 2015

In Shadow in the Bush, Heimler & Proc present a lush meditation on belonging. Figures meld seamlessly with verdant surroundings — wide-eyed, innocent presences fusing with trunks, leaves, streams and rock. They do not invade or destroy; they join.

Hands curl around branches in gestures of unity and acceptance, fingers linger near berries without taking. An abandoned car supports a sprouting tree. Humanity folds gently into nature, disturbing nothing.

The series articulates a concept in woefully short supply: disparate worlds coming together while celebrating the uniqueness of each, forming a bond stronger than the sum of its parts.

It is the artists' profound wish that this painted unity might become real. Born from their own evolution and growing oneness with their adopted Aotearoa New Zealand, Shadow in the Bush is offered not just as an image, but as a hope — that such coming together could be lived.