Drawing from early alchemy, this suite of seven paintings explores the ancient belief that the movements of the night sky share a direct, physical relationship with the materials of the earth. Observed from the Southern Hemisphere, seven constellations emerge as intimate celestial maps suspended above low horizons, translating the vastness of space into jewel-like nocturnes.
The series traces the historical relationship between seven planetary rulers and seven metals, positioning copper as its foundational vessel. Central to Natasha Walsh’s practice for more than a decade, copper becomes an active collaborator and a site of material transformation.
Each miniature oil painting rests on an exposed copper plate, framed within dark timber and prepared to cultivate slow atmospheric oxidation. The resulting patinas bridge the enduring geometry of the southern sky with the living, metamorphic chemistry of raw matter.
