French artist Emeric Chantier’s recent series of plant sculptures is not only a spectacular work of art, but it provides a strong reflection on the place of human beings in nature, as well as our relationship with nature. Are we killing nature, is it killing us, or are we living together in harmony?

His series of plant sculptures depicts skulls, weapons, and human faces, strung together in inspiring and sometimes terrifying ways. To me, the art screams “struggle for equilibrium”, in a way reminding of symbolism and decadence. There’s an embedded melancholy and sadness, a reflection on the damage we are inflicting on the environment.

He mixes dry plants with industrial and household items and holds them together with molding and glue. The carefully knotted branches in the sculptures are tied in such a way that it almost looks painful to look at.

“My works are related to the nature and its relationship with man, a confrontation with our origins, an environmental awareness on the preciousness of our “mother nature”, source of all life, a subject dear to my heart and which I believe should be part of a collective consciousness,” he says.

Image credits: Emeric Chantier