Hannah Swearingen

Hannah Swearingen

Take Back the Streets

Oil on panel

24” x 24”

    During a pandemic and mass lock down, life has changed for everyone on Earth. This not only applies to human life, but also to flora and fauna. To some extent, these times have allowed nature an ability to grow without constraint. It is easy to forget that we as human beings in our fortified concrete cities are impeding nature’s course daily. When human activity suddenly stops, a door is opened for the pristine curation of space to crumble. 

Even though these changes are small as of right now, the longer the world is left alone, the more nature will reclaim spaces. Plants can thrive, growing up the sides of newly abandoned shopping malls, animals can re-inhabit once busy streets, and weeds can grow up through the cracks of parking lots. My hope for this time, is that people might start noticing that nature is not a world separate from our own.

With this piece, I hope to encapsulate and celebrate the subtle changes we start to see in these times. We actively share this planet with countless creatures, and it’s about time they got a chance to take back the streets. My hope with this painting is to inspire people to take notice of the nature around them. Even though you may be stuck at home, there is probably a bird outside your window who is enjoying the quiet and clean air. Perhaps we can find some light in that, despite the rest of the dark we are dealing with every day.